Do you think editors really check their copy? I had to wonder when I saw these two story bylines side by side in the New York Times online, Wednesday.
Is it a case of do what I say, not what I do for the kids?
It started as a blue spiky child’s ball. It came home in the weekly shopping. On Saturday morning the Goddess known as Flamingo Dancer raised herself from the couch and also rose above her concept of exercise as being the movement from one end of the couch to the other, took the blue ball out to Augie Dog’s yard.
Using foot work that David Beckham would envy the Flamingo Dancer introduced the ball to Augie Dog who promptly took fright and raced through the open door back into the house to quiver beside Mr FD’s chair.
The quest to make a man out of a puppy accepted Flamingo Dancer kicked the ball about the yard, bounced it off the side of the house and gradually enticed Augie Dog to return to the great outdoors. Augie Dog accepted the ball to the point that he would chase after it, but refrained from physical contact. He often retreated back to the safety of Mr FD’s chairside.
The Flamingo Dancer continued to the point of dewy forehead and racing heart; longer than three minutes, before leaving the ball on the patio and reclaiming her couch position.
The ball sat unloved for the rest of the day.
In the dark of night, Augie triumphantly trotted into our bedroom carrying a deflated blue spiky ball. He had fought the enemy and won.
Now he plays non stop with his blue spiky ball. Flamingo Dancer gets to sit on her couch non stop. Win Win situation all around!
Except for the blue spiky ball …
Just goes to show that exercise is not all it is cracked up to be. I went for my walk in the rain on Sunday and then Monday morning I woke with a cracker of a headache that lasted all the way into Tuesday. Obviously, it was all too much of a shock for my delicate body.
Maybe I should have started more slowly. First day I should have just laced up my shoes and walked to the mail box, just to get my psyche alerted to the coming onslaught of movement.
Second outing, maybe I should just walk to the end of the street and back, then lie down awhile. If this doesn’t bring on any ill effects then maybe I could walk around the block (three street). Once again, if no medical intervention required, I could cast a little more caution to the wind, and maybe walk for 20 minutes.
That would probably been enough exercise for the year, and another item ticked off the resolution to do list.
And no, it had nothing to do with the large glass of red wine I consumed on Sunday night.
Don’t even try to argue with me.
It’s been awhile since I shared my progress with my 2012 resolutions and I know that you haven’t asked for it, but here it is – another chapter on my journey of intentional living.
Sunday I had the best day so far. I managed to meditate twice, twenty minutes each time. I even got off the couch and went for a walk – in the rain! Until now I had made no progress with exercise at all, but I woke Sunday morning and just had to go for a walk. I knew if I didn’t go, even though I knew it was going to rain, I felt as though I would never achieve that goal, so umbrella under my arm, off I set. I was only around the corner a little when it did start to rain, but my large umbrella was great shelter and I continued walking. Well, at least I can say that I did go for a walk in 2012! Bonus points for the rain too!
I had my green tea, and my vitamin supplements (I take a multivitamin with selenium, a fish oil capsule and a little extra vitamin B at the moment as felt a sense of approaching depression).
Sunday I procrastinated no more and attacked the walk in robe in our bedroom. I actually bought some large storage containers so I can pack away the out of season clothes (and it will make moving faster, I hope). It is a task that will take more than one day, but I did manage to break the back of it. I have a bag of clothes for charity, as well as more books.
I have been quite ruthless with clearing clutter. I had a lot of silly holiday mementos that friends had given me when they returned from overseas holidays, and it all went into the bin, as I thought what was the point if I have never been to that country anyway? I was only holding onto it so as not to insult the givers, many of them people I no longer see, so why continue allowing it to gather layers of dust? It feels so good to get rid of clutter and to imagine a life less weighed down with stuff. I am never going to allow the clutter ever again, that is my everlasting gift to myself.
Monday is a public holiday to celebrate the Queen’s birthday (I know, it seems to be a never ending event, but no one rejects a holiday!) so Daughter 2 and I are off to visit Grandma Flamingo Dancer. BIL was admitted to hospital late on Saturday night as a precaution. as it was suspected that he is developing pneumonia again, so we are trying to take the care of mother dear a little more so that sister is free to be with BIL. Considering all that is happening, it is a blessing that Mum is now in care and doing so well, as sister would have not been able to cope with a dependent mother and an ill husband. Still it is an hour’s drive for us to visit Grandma so not much more decluttering will get done this week!
And a little off subject, we have finally discovered which animal comes each year and eats our pine trees! It has happened every June or July for the past three years and only last week I was thinking how well the pine trees were recovering from the last attack. Son walked outside just after dark and found a large deer, with antlers rutting at the tree! It took fright and headed back towards the bushland, and I expect Son probably made a hasty retreat inside as well!
The first year we thought it was local teenagers, but the following year we started to think maybe an animal and our money was on a kangaroo, but it turns out to be feral deer! Deer are an introduced species to Australia, but we have the odd sighting in the area as we are near the river. I know nothing about deer, and can only think that there must be something seasonal in their need to attack our pine trees in June or July each year (our winter). Maybe he is getting ready for Christmas in July! I do hope they stay away as it won’t make the front garden look all that lovely to prospective buyers with damaged trees! I guess we can make it sound romantic by saying “deer graze in the front garden!”
I hope you have a great day – it really is there for the taking!
Now that we are faced by the reality that both our parents have suffered memory loss (Dad’s seems to have been vascular related dementia, whereas Mum’s appears to be Alzeimer’s, though really, it is six of one and half a dozen of the other, as they say – no difference) we really can’t pretend that we are not in the firing line for the same susceptibility to memory loss.
My sister, being eight years older than I, is a little more worried (freaked out!) than I, but I have to admit that it is occupying my thoughts a little more than it did a few weeks ago. Especially after every visit to Mum and seeing how she now has such a struggle handling every day life.
I have even fallen for purchasing a book, 100 simple things to prevent Alzheimer’s, or something similarly titled. Of course the majority of the top 100 were things we should all be doing for a healthy life, such as exercise, healthy diet, maintain relationships.
A couple suggestions I had read before, such as eating curry. Mr FD and I have often wondered about the curry link, as Mr FD’s father, who died at the age of 93, having been born in Ceylon, was a devotee of a good curry and ate it on a regular basis, and his mind was relatively clear until the final year. He also did crosswords and was widely read, all things that help maintain the brain.
One suggestion was to eat cinnamon as it assists with maintaining insulin levels. The recommendation was one half to one teaspoon a day! That is a huge amount of cinnamon in anyone’s estimation. I don’t think I would ever achieve that one!
A more insidious suggested cause is stress. Now that is the hard one. I try to meditate from time to time, especially when stressed or ill, but I was crafted anxious in the womb, and though I have come to recognise my triggers and worked hard to overcome them over the years, I doubt if there has ever been too many days without my being aware of feelings of stress. Now I get to be stressed about my stress causing me dementia!
I guess, this is even more motivation to stick to my 2012 resolutions, so that I can live a good life now, and for as long as I can, and maybe keep my gorgeous brain functioning to the best of its abilities for as long as possible.
Travelling the long goodbye with a parent, again, not only makes me aware of my own biological clock ticking, but also acts as a reminder to live in the moment, for the moment is all we really have.
Resolutions 2012:
I must change.
I must remove all the excess.
I must get rid of all the clutter.
I must eat healthier food.
I must exercise.
I must read more, for pleasure and professionally.
I must watch less TV.
I must be more active in my own life.
Where do I start on this list? The easy stuff – read more and less television – has progressed. I joined the bookclub at school and so I am being prompted to read things I would not choose for myself. Tick and tick.
Food? Well, the diverticulitis has sealed that one. I am so worn out with suffering with it that I am no longer tempted to roll the dice on anything that might even remotely cause an issue. However, thanks to Easter the chocolate scale has blown sky high. That will take its natural course as the supply runs out and I avoid all the chocolate now on sale! Half a tick.
Life has reminded me of a couple of things lately. The sudden death of a colleague, that the moment is more important than the grand plan, but do have a grand plan. Also, not to hesitate to do the good deed, to be open to change and not to forget to tell people that you love them. Or can tolerate them, at least!
My Mum’s sudden illness has also been a wake up call not to take her for granted and to think she will always be there for another visit, on another day. It is also a reminder that we; Mr FD, our siblings and I, are bordering on become the elders of the clan. Scary stuff indeed and something I assume no one is every ready to accept. I am not sure that I am ready to be that grown up, but hey, I am going to be a great old lady.
Haven’t had much opportunity to work on the excess during school terms, but I have certainly not brought anything into the house that was not needed. I can’t remember the last time I purchased anything on a whim; except for a book or two, but even my book purchasing is down 90 per cent on what it was. Magazine subscriptions have not been renewed. Maybe a three quarter tick?
I feel that I have changed quite a bit this year, already. Who would have thought that perfection can be improved, but if anyone can do, I am your woman!
I have really pushed my boundaries professionally. I am now working towards becoming an IT coach to other teachers, assisting them with including more ICT in their lesson and unit plans. It terrifies me to think that others will be depending on my meagre IT skills to expand their own, but I am committed to upskilling and so the journey has begun. I find it incredibly empowering, and rewarding as well. Big tick!
My colleague taught me to realise that the only thing I control is myself, and that was a real ah ha moment (late Oprahism warning, sorry!). I use that knowledge numerous times each day and now I realise how much anxiety and stress I was creating for myself by trying to control that which I never had a hope of controlling.
I slip up frequently though when it comes to Mr FD, who still, after all these years, refuses to be controlled. Why he doesn’t learn I don’t know, but now I have developed a coping mechanism – when he refuse to heel, I look out the nearest window and go “lalalalala” in my head. I spend lots of time staring out of windows and lalalalaing to the extent that when we are in the car, I feel like one of those dogs who love to hang their heads out the window and feel the wind in their ears, but hey it works. And of course I always hold out hope that eventually Mr FD will learn to do as he is told. He obviously has never made a resolution to change… A tick for me, a “try to do better” for Mr FD.
Let’s not talk about exercise. Well, if we must, I have to admit that the only thing being exercised is my sense of guilt that I have not motivated myself to do anything more than to move from one end of the couch to the other. But I did move. I even fluffed the pillows with gusto. I worked up quite a sweat slapping that foam rubber about, so I am well on my way to increasing my exercise routine. Next week I might even contemplate moving to another room!
How is 2012 working for you? (Once again, pretend that I care).
A New Year’s resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to one or more lasting personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit, and no doubt as 2011 draws to end (and none too soon as far as I am concerned!) many of us are drawn to reflect not only on the past year, but to anticipate the freshness of a new year.
I have never been a big one for resolutions. I have never really considered that the first day of a new year is a real motivator for anyone to shed weight, get fit, or learn something new any more than any other day of the year. If I didn’t do it yesterday, why would I do it tomorrow?
This year I have already committed to some resolutions, goals – change, for the new year:
I must change.
I must remove all the excess.
I must get rid of all the clutter.
I must eat healthier food.
I must exercise.
I must read more, for pleasure and professionally.
I must watch less TV.
I must be more active in my own life.
It is one thing to write this neat list of intentions, but if I fail to think about how I am going to achieve these changes then it is all going to amount to nothing except another pile of empty words.
So, as part of my reflection and planning process I have been trying to visualise what I want my life and 2012 to be.
1. I must change.
2. I must remove all the excess
Discreetness and minimalism heralds the point of ultimate luxury. Less is more in 2012!
3. I must get rid of all the clutter.
4. I must eat healthier food.
5. I must exercise
6. I must read more, for pleasure and professionally.
7. I must watch less TV.
8. I must be more active in my own life.
and
E is for eagerness, and eat and ….
Edith Sitwell
Ella Zuila, the Australian funambuliste
Eel shop
Edwardian family
Elbows! Joyce Reynolds elbow!
Elephant's tea party, Robur Tea Room, Sydney, 24 March 1939
Emily Davidson, suffragette
Elderly ladies at an Antique Fair - Manchester, 1968
Exercise - some do!
my personal favourite - eyes!
Electric light . Olive Osborne as Electric Light 1920
Stay tuned for more…
Dear Diary,
Someone said that every great journey starts with the first step. I suspect it was Groucho Marx. Before I fell asleep last night I committed myself to starting my day with a walk.
I know from experience that if I don’t do the walking in the morning that by evening I have provided myself with a plethora of reasons not to actually do it. Neither my flesh, nor my spirit, is strong. I did procrastinate a little, so obviously that little commandment needs closer attention!
First off I had breakfast and a cup of tea. Then I checked my blog comments…then I checked the weather and damn it looked as though the rain that has been falling off and on all week would hold off, so all excuses evaporated.
In the past I have never had the right clothing to wear and often walked wearing jeans or less than attractive track pants, but Daughter2 has dropped a couple of sizes and so I inherited some very nice gym gear from her. She separates things into piles for mother and for sister so I get clothing she deems age appropriate so Flamingo Dancer is not walking the streets dressed as lamb rather than mutton. Or in the case of flamingo dancers would that be chick and hen? Whatever, I look damn good in my second hand clothes.
The clothes have been washed more than once so I actually look like a hardened athlete, well at least from a clothes aspect. I don’t look like those poor people that one sees every new year walking in their crisp new gym clothes that they just purchased due to a new year’s resolution that everyone, including themselves, knows that they won’t maintain a week.
The shoes. Now my shoes I am really proud of as I have two pairs of the world’s most comfortable shoes in the world. One is a brown pair that I bought for $20AUS from Kmart about 8 years. Daughter2 calls them my old lady orthopaedic shoes and well may she be right. I think they are dainty and unassuming; she thinks they are embarrassing and ugly. I am the one wearing them however. I have worn them on many walking escapades and my feet are never tired at the end of a day and I have never, ever had a blister or a sore spot. I love my shoes, though I notice that I am wearing a hole in the toe of the right shoe which I appear to do with favourite shoes and so I may have to see if I can find more of the same.
My other pair is a little newer. I can’t remember when I purchased them. In fact I forgot I even owned them. We used to have a big cane basket where everyone threw their shoes and after the daughters moved out it lay dormant for a year or so I went through it and called various owners. No one claimed the white sports shoes and after awhile it slowly dawned that the shoes were mine. Repressed memories obviously!
The white shoes were the shoes of choice today as they have a little more toe room and I have a sore toe at the moment. Well, it is not actually sore, the nail is coming off, but that is a whole ‘nother post that is not going to happen.
So I booted up and told Mr FD I was off to discover the big outside. I think he teared up for a second as I suspect he thought I had finally lost my mind, but he soon recovered, obviously thinking it better to humour me in case I turned dangerous. In fact he made encouraging comments like “you are a better person than I”, much in the same vein as one adopts when waving loved ones off to war.
I thought about finding a pedometer lost in the bowels of a drawer or a cupboard so that I could feel superior when I achieved those magical 10,000 steps, but soon gave up this idea as:
1. I was never going to find that pedometer in the near future, or maybe even in this lifetime.
2. I am very competitive. If I walked 6 steps today I would have to walk 16,000 tomorrow. If I didn’t I would feel guilty and beat myself up about my failure and not appreciate the fact that I walked 6 steps, which would be about 5 more than I walked the day before. Not going to enhance my happiness now is it?
So I set off in my second hand clothes, my shopping mall shoes (the expensive white ones, I think I paid around $50AUS for them, also at Kmart) and minus any fancy smancy sports equipment and I walked around our neighbourhood.
There were lots of positives. I got a thrill to note that we have one of the nicer gardens in the area. This also saddened me as considering the little effort we put into our garden the rest of the neighbourhood should be ashamed. Why do people spend $750,000 AUS and up on a new house and then allow the yard to go to weed and rubbish? I am not saying that anyone has to maintain a garden, in fact don’t start one if you don’t have the time, the energy or the inclination to maintain it. Put in gravel and a birdbath and call it a day. Don’t insult nature.
I also saw 3 wild ducks in the play park. They were skirting the half basket ball court and I imagine that they were just waiting for the rest of the team to show up for the game. Mushrooms were also in full bloom, thanks to the showery weather of the past week. Dull brown and grey ones but still pretty to examine and admire.
A couple of houses were up for sale. Well one was actually for auction and one for sale. Not many houses in our neighbourhood come up for sale, but the few that have in the 8 years since the area opened up, always seem to be the same ones. Why is that so? Why do some houses sell and sell again and others never get sold? It is almost that there are negative forces at work in some homes, or bad feng shui that chases people away. These are the type of things I ponder as I walk.
I ended with an uphill route back to our street and a good feeling of accomplishment. No chariots of fire theme music met me as I walked back up our drive way, Mr FD did not leap from his chair as I opened the door, though he was eager to hear what the big outside was like these days. I did come home with a sense of having taken the first step. I did feel happy. In fact minutes later I am still feeling happy. There might be something in this after all…
Dear Diary, do I have to do it again tomorrow though?
