New Year's Resolutions at age 64?

 In our sixties we pretty much have seen it all. Done most of it and decided not to do other things. 

Example? I never wanted to jump from a plane. Never wanted to go scuba diving or skiing.  (Note on scuba diving: I was mentally scarred by the movie Jaws as a teenager. I've never looked at the beach the same since.)

Things I'd still like to do?  Hmmm... nothing is coming to me on this but gonna give it some time to percolate. 

Places I'd like to see? Paris & Ireland.  I'm 100% Irish so I'd like to see the country of my people.  Paris? I've just always been drawn to that city and I don't know why. 

So, how about some resolutions for the new year? 

1. Publish another book

2. Make our business successful. (Covid has all but crushed it, but we love it so we fight onward. - Please, if you know a small business, especially the entertainment biz support them, send your friends in, book a party. They need you even if they look okay. Trust me, every small business has been hurt by covid.) 

3. Adopt out these 3 pups who I'm fostering. Especially Carl who is special needs and extremely playful. (Carl's story is here.)  The other two are a pair of bonded Chihuahuas. They need a home together. 

4. Get organized both in time & space. By time I mean scheduling which days/hours I do what. By space I mean clean up my desks (I have 3) files & other paperwork and make things easier to manage. 

5. Find a passive income. I think everyone needs something else. If you go to Pinterest and search passive income you can come up with a bunch of ideas. I need to take the time to research them all and find something for a side job. 

Any other ideas? What are your New Years Resolutions? 

Social Security Applied! Now what?

 I applied for Social Security about a week ago.  Bit the bullet and filled out that application. Some of the questions I did find confusing and wanted to make sure what I put down was the truth so there were no hold ups.  

They do have little info buttons near each question that let you read a little more so you can give a good answer. That helps. 

You can also check your status by logging back in.  

I just did that and it says it's in like step two for checking my application. It also said it could take 2 to 4 weeks for processing. 

It's only been a week but when someone/thing tells me there's a way to check, I mean, how could I resist logging back in?  

All in all the process was pretty easy, but when you're ready to apply find a quiet space and take your time filling out the application.  

Are you ready to collect?  How did you make that decision? 

Staying Safe & Positive with Another Virus Scare

 Here we go again!

Is it not hard enough being in our 60's without life threatening viruses? Including business threatening viruses. 

Yes, no matter how you view it, this virus has killed more businesses than at any other time in history. (except maybe the great depression) At lease now our government is working to help people. If only everyone would get on board. 

Our business is suffering. We have to have people signing up and coming in or forget it, we're done. 

We're doing the 6 ft thing still which cuts down on the amount of people we can serve and beyond that there are too many who are just afraid to get into a place where people congregate. I've done more wash for aprons and towels then I'd ever want to think about. We bleach everything every night. 

If you walk past someone who reeks of disinfectant, it might be me :) 

So, if this business is suffering I can get a job! Where? At 64? Just look at my resume and you can probably guess my age. I have tons of office experience so the work is no problem but getting someone to trust that? 

We really are fighting for our business. It's a labor of love and I will definitely cry if we go under. I think the only way to beat the virus is through vaccination. I think the only way to protect those who cannot take the vaccination is to get ourselves vaccinated. With mixed messages coming from those in government I fear most good people are really just at a loss of which way is the best way. 

For now we're wearing masks, been vaxxed and boosted, and do our best to keep things clean. 

Stay safe out there.  There is a light at the end of this Covid tunnel and I believe we are almost there. 

What came after the pandemic of 1918?  The ROARING TWENTIES!  Soon it our country will come ROARING back and all will get back to a better normal. 

 

The Social Security Pathway

 Making the decision to turn on your social security is a big thing.  It's all about crunching numbers and figuring out where you are now and what you'll need in the future. 

The future? How can I know what to expect 5 or 10 or 20 years from now? Do I look like a psychic? 

So, if my full retirement age is 65 + 6 months I get a certain amount. You can go to the Social Security website and enter your info and they'll let you know what you could get now and that higher amount you could get if you wait.  

One of the issues I kind of struggle with is that yes, you'll get more money later each month if you wait.  If you take it now your check is less but the total amount will be a bigger total amount? 

I've been trying to crunch the numbers and I'm not really a math wiz. 

If your starting number now is like 1000 a month. Age 64.

Waiting until age 65 and your number is 1200 a month. 

12 months of $1000 = $12,000? 

So at what point when collecting the full amount of $1200 how many months would it take to make up the $12,000? 

Since the difference is $200. Would it be 60 months? Is that 5 years to break even? 

I guess it comes down to if that $200 will really be a deal breaker in the future? Now we come back to - are we psychic?  Where will we be in 5 years? In one year? 

Have you made this decision? Which way did you decide to go? 

Foster Dogs: I Adopted Out a Dog Today

Foster Dogs: I Adopted Out a Dog Today:  I foster dogs.  No, it's not easy.  I adopted out a dog today. His name was Carl and he was the sweetest little boy. Carl was joy in ev...

Meeting Florida's Vampire Ants

 It was a quiet Halloween afternoon. I was relaxing at my daughter's house, making up some Halloween treats. Mummy wrapped brownies, witches fingers and all sorts of yummies. It was a nice afternoon. 

Then we decided to go out and see her 3 new pets; Chickens. Buckbeak, Hennifer and Marmalade. All three were in their coop and we brought them out some tomatoes and bananas to munch.  We were all standing around talking about the chickens when I felt a tiny pinch on  my ankle. I brushed it off and kept chatting. Another pinch and it hit me; FIRE ANTS!  I do the Fire Ant dance where you start jumping and swatting. ]

This is Florida and those horrible little creatures will eat your flesh and leave little itchy blisters in their wake. Yuk! 

I've been bit by these little creeper before and immediately brushed them off and got back onto the patio. We went into the house and I didn't think anything else of it. I've been bitten by these little vampire ants before and although uncomfortable a few bites wasn't so bad. 

I'm on the couch talking to my daughters and everything starts burning and itching. It was like something lit every inch of my skin on fire from my head to my toes. I jump off the couch and run to the bathroom to check my clothing. Were those nasty vampire ants still on me? 

In the bathroom I rip off my shirt and check it for ants. Nothing. Now my arm pits are super itchy! Behind my knees, elbows. ears, my entire scalp! I look in the mirror and I'm all bright red; front, back, face. I pull my clothes back on and go out and show my daughter my back. She says, "OMG, you've got hives!" She pulls Allegra out of the cabinet and says take one. At this point my skin is on fire and itching like crazy. I swallowed one. She gets me another bottle of water and tells me to drink as much as I can. Then we go back to the bathroom and she puts that over the counter cortisone cream all over my back. I apply it to my legs and every other place. 

At this point my heart is pounding. She asks if my throat is closing up, is my tongue swelling. I pause in my scratching and say no. I rub my itching ears and so hard I think my ears are starting to swell.  I've never had this kind of reaction to anything before in all my 64 years.  

Now I can't sit still so I go to fold a load of laundry. (Yes, I was a stay at home mom for a few years and always found basic household chores could take my mind off things.) My husband comes in when I'm trying to get the clothes out of the dryer and at this point I'm going crazy with the itch and burning.  I lift my shirt to show him my bright red torso. He says Oh my God and maybe you should go to the hospital. 

Noooo, I don't want to go! I hate hospitals. 

Back out the the living room and I get ice packs and start placing them on my pulse points and the itchiest places. After a while the Allegra is starting to kick in and the pain is easing. 

Whew! I relax a little. More ice, deep breath. my heartbeat goes back to normal and I think it's going to be okay.  

Next morning my ankle is swollen and red but the hives are gone. I use cortisone cream and take Benadryl. I can't get a shoe on. Next day still swollen and painful, more Benadryl. I switch to Neosporin incase it's getting infected. Day 4 I'm at the doctor because, although the swelling is down a bit the bite from that nasty mini-vampires is red with little red lines curling off of it and running outward. 

Good news, it's not infected. That redness and streaky lines are all part of the allergic reaction. 

I have to wonder if I didn't immediately take the Allegra would this have been worse. Would I have ended up in the hospital? Scary thought when you live in the land of the Vampire Ants. Now there's some Benadryl in my purse to prevent another reaction that might be worse. If those Vampire Ants come near me again I'll be ready. I'll also be running the opposite direction! 

Gray Hair there???

 Okay, most people in their 60's have gray hair. For most, it starts a lot earlier. Hey! It's normal and beautiful. 

I remember my mom's snow white hair, so soft and beautiful.  It's the kind of gray I'd like someday. 

Right now, believe it or not, I don't have a lot of gray. I'm a natural blond so even those glinting grays that do appear, look like highlights. Why not so much gray? I have no idea. It's not a family thing, I don't think, but I do take a lot of vitamins. I have Pernicious Anemia, a B12 deficiency, so I take B12 in shots. Is this why I'm not so gray? 

I had a friend who needed a kidney transplant. After the transplant his gray hair slowly disappeared. Was his body suddenly processing nutrients better? 

Anyway, gray hair can pop up anywhere on our bodies. Down below? Who cares! But the eyebrows? Really? And not the whole eyebrow, just a few random bright white hairs. 

At first I'd pluck those one or two gray eyebrows and be happy. Lately more and more seem to be appearing so now.... what to do?  Plucking a random hair.... so what, no one notices.  Plucking four or 5 from the same brow? 

EEEEEeeeeeeeeekkkk! 

What to do, what to do.... I'm not really a make up kind of person so whatever there is to use on eyebrows is not in my frame of reference. Eyebrow pencils? Will they really color those bright white hairs blond again? Or will I look like a clown with sketched on brows?

Time to call in reinforcements. Time for a YouTube video! 

So how's your brows? How to do control them? Go freestyle? Tame them? Paint them? 

Making the Most of 60+

 Tomorrow I'm 64. WoooHooo! 

Actually, I feel 30. Except for the stiff back from sleeping on the couch for two days because my new foster dog has anxiety issues.  He's adorable, but is still getting used to us. 

I always look at each decade as an adventure. Something to meet with joy & awe.  This decade had me opening my own business and facing the challenges of running it during Covid. 

So for this new year of my 60 decade, what challenges shall we find? Adventures shall we plan? Or goals shall we set?  Okay, let's give it a go. What would be good things to do/see/experience for 64? 

•  Build my business 
• Publish another Book on Amazon (It's written but now comes the edit)
• Post some short stories on The Midnight Brain
• Rescue more dogs 
• Buy a home
• Get organized
• Lose 10... okay, 15 pounds
• Make friends
• Plant a garden
• Paint a mural 

So what's your plans for this year of your life? 

Is 60 the New 40?

 I remember my mom in her 60's. She had trouble walking, losing weight and was out on disability. I think if she had access to the internet like we have now she would have been healthier. 

Today if we have a pain in our hip we can wade thought tons of information and read about what helped others and maybe take this info to our doctors or try some exercises or stretches to ease the pain. My mom had no help other than one doctor who evidently couldn't help her. 

I remember reading my mother's women's magazine and their exercise suggestion? It was pictures of a woman carrying a small pile of folded towels up the stairs. No hard cardio, no suggestion on weight lifting or yoga. If that was mom's only input of how to maintain weight, it was no help at all. 

So today we have so much information at our finger tips we can be a healthier 60.  Not that I'm saying listen to all the info out there, but read, double check, know your source, etc. 

I've had a few health problems along the way. One day my daughter was watching Medical Mysteries. In it a woman had problems with tiredness, IBS, tingling and a few other things. We're watching and the woman lists her symptoms I say, "I have that." and "I have that, and I have that, too." My daughter turns to me and says, "Whatever that woman has, you should get checked for!"   The woman had a B12 deficiency.  Later I found out that I have it too and that information changed everything! 

No matter what your symptoms, don't stop searching for an answer. Just be careful who you're listening to. Know their credentials, where they got their facts from and check and double check. We have what our parents didn't. We have access to a world of answers. 

So with all this help to keep us going...isn't 60 the new 40? 

Keeping Safe, Staying Safe - Mask it!

 I can't wait to rip this mask off --- finally!

But it doesn't look like that will be anytime soon. 

Now, when frustration is peaking and the urge to just be normal again surges this is the time to stay strong... and masked. 

It would be so easy to just stop the mask stuff and walk around free as a bird but I think this would invite Covid to spread more. Endangering ourselves or others. 

Such a creepy horrible germ. 

I keep going back to the fact that in 1918 they got through the pandemic with half the medical science we have now. They wrapped rags around their faces (hey! at least we have these fancy prints to wear on our face) and had very  little medication to deal with it. And they got through it. 

What happened after the pandemic faded away? Ha! The ROARING TWENTIES!

Wo0t! 

So there is something to look forward to at the end of all this craziness. We'll be able to ROAR once again. Fun times will come back. We just have to stay strong and stay masked for ourselves and for each other. Do it for your family, your neighbors & maybe someone's grandma. 

Are New Years Resolutions a Good Idea?

 Let's face it if we were going to resolve to do something to improve our life why is January the best time? 

It's after the holidays when, truthfully, I just want to relax and veg for a while. The last few months have been a stressful time. Wouldn't it be better to just let January pass by and rest and think about all that other stuff maybe in February? 

Oh, I've tried. Every January for over ... well at least 45 ish years.. I've thought what should my resolution be this year? Usually it came back to losing weight. Yet, whatever it was seemed to kind of be in the negative column. How come our resolutions aren't in the positive column? 

So here's some positive New Year's Resolutions (I'll pick mine in February :) 

1. Draw more pictures. It doesn't matter if you're a professional or never picked up a pencil to doodle - just draw more pictures. Art is therapy and we could all use a little of that right now. 

2. Play some music. Did you take lessons as a kid? Or ever wanted to? Do it. Pick up a guitar from a thrift shop or see what other instruments they have there and give it a go. 

3. Perfect one cooking skill. Ever want to bake from scratch? Make a tart or roll some sushi. 

4. Take a painting class. They're all over the place now days. Google paint and sip and see what you can find. Then go paint it. You might surprise yourself. 

5. Plan a trip to some place you've never been. Okay, you might have to wait a few months till travel is safe again, but go explore some place. Do the planning now so you can be ready later. 

6. Make something for someone with your own hands. Sew or knit or ...back to #1, draw something and gift a gift for no reason. 

7. Read one book classic book a month. Any library can tell you what the classics are; Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Nightingale, Anne of Green Gables. The list is long so there are plenty to choose from. 

8 Make one day a week your Pamper me day. Give yourself a pedicure, soak in a tub full of bubbles, or cuddle up with your significant other and watch a movie. 

9. Have a night out with the girls or guys once a month. Plan it and make it more than beer and pretzels. Make it a special event with something interesting. 

10. Volunteer. Find your favorite charity and volunteer. Animal shelter, Red Cross, Homeless Shelter, Meals on Wheels. There's always something, someone, somewhere who needs help. Find some time and do something. 

So do that New Year's resolution now or later but make it something that will help your soul grow and blossom. 2021 is here so let's make it beautiful. 

Got a great idea for a resolution? Post it below & share the wisdom! 

Good Times for the Introvert

 Can a person be a closet introvert? 

I think so. Although when in front of people I can walk the walk & sing the song, but I'm more comfortable in small groups of people I know well. Alone time is a precious thing. When I leave the crowd I'm exhausted. Drained. And really in need of that alone time. It recharges and relaxes. 

Now with everyone locked down or afraid to go out, there's so much downtime that... it's okay.  I've adapted like I think most people have. The first lockdown had me staring out the windows but looking back, I wish I had used it to clean out closets, write a new book, or done something more constructive. Why did I waste all those days of downtime?

I think there's a little bit of introvert in all of us, but not a lot of extrovert in some of us. Being an extrovert means you love people, crowds, attention. I admire those people with that zest for the spotlight. Do I ever want that? No. It's not in my DNA. 

So yes, I think an introvert can adjust easily to this crazy world we find ourselves in but they have to look to the opportunity and not to the negativity. Instead of thinking "Why can't I" the questions should be "How can I use this time?" 

It's a bit like what I'd imagine retirement would be like. You suddenly have all the time to do anything but spend days bored and restless. 

Planning this time is what we all need now. Stuck in the house? What would we do if we only had more time.  And please, don't think painting a picture, playing an instrument or even writing that book is not worth it. It is. Get creative, bring the spark of things you always wanted to do and do them. 

Let your Introvert flag fly! 

Make it Your Year