Superpowers

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman!  I am sure that you may have played Superman or Batman or Wonder Woman as a child or that your children or grandchildren did.  I used to pin on a towel on my son’s shoulders every day for about a year as he faced the world and defended our home. He was only four, but he was sure he had superpowers.  I am lucky he didn’t try to fly by jumping off the roof.  

We live in a world of Marvel or DC characters in movies, TV shows, and books, and do not forget fantasy worlds where witches and elves have magical powers – superpowers!  We love them all.  Then there is the Harry Potter universe.  I am sure you have gotten lost in those worlds over the years.  Let’s explore this a bit more.

A Superpower means that you have extraordinary or paranormal abilities. I found websites that list 100 or more superpowers. There is telekinesis where you can move objects with your mind.  There is invisibility where you are cannot been seen with the naked eye – remember Harry Potters’ invisibility cloak?  You can have super strength, or you can   manipulate time that includes time travel.  You can be a shapeshifter changing from one shape to another – a person to an animal. You have the power to fly, or you can teleport traveling from one place to another.  You can have healing superpowers that can regenerate body parts and fight an infection.  Power negation sounds pretty good because you cancel all other powers.  Check out Pinterest with its extensive display of Superpowers!

Have you ever wished that you had a Superpower?   I sure do.  It would be nice to disappear at awkward moments or move my groceries from the car to the kitchen or better yet put them away. However, what I really want to do is animal communication where I would understand and communicate with animals.  Move over, Dr. Doolittle!  I have always been an animal lover.  You must know that from my blogs.  I would have loved to know what my dogs and cats were thinking.  Today, I would love to talk to the catbird who has taken over the patio garden.  He (I am assuming he) brings food to its mate and soon to his hatchlings.  He flits around the garden with his tail bobbing up and down exposing his little red patch on his tush.  He checks me out to the point that he looks in my windows.  I think he would like to talk too asking me what I am doing in my nest!  

Then I would love to hear what the butterflies and hummingbirds have to say.  Maybe thank you for the plants that I have planted for them to have a tasty snack.  I am sure the bunnies and the foxes have some tales – no pun intended – to tell.  Now, we just look at each other, and I imagine what a conversation might be.  

if you could have a superpower, how would you use it?  Let us think about it as we visualize some possibilities. I do believe that those of us in the winter of our lives, maybe the fall for some, could use a few anti-aging superpowers.  How about a superpower for better vision or hearing?  How about a supercharged healing power where we could rid ourselves of pain or fix a bad hip joint.  We could use an anti-fall power – on the way down, we would right ourselves immediately.  How about anti-wrinkle or anti-gray hair powers?  We could use superpowers for sleeping better or talking to our grandchildren by just thinking about them. How about superpowers to do all our cooking or laundry and give you back lost skills like skipping or hopping. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to recall that word on the tip of your tongue or remember where you put your glasses. We need some superpowers for that.

 I am sure this list could go on and on.  We have not been blessed with any real superpowers, yet we have some power at our fingertips.  We can be a great friend.  We can be kind and helpful. We can always have a smile for someone.  We can deeply love our family.  We can give to charities and help hungry people. We can appreciate the small treasures in our world.  So, you see you really do have power to be super to others!  

Red, White, and Sue

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

My aunt Kathy is one of the most beautiful, gracious women one will ever meet.  She consistently holds parties and dinners for birthdays and holidays and sometimes just because. Is it any wonder that each year when her birthday rolls around I want to do something for her to let her know just how special she really is.

Kathy is the youngest of six children, one of whom was my daddy. She is the last one of her childhood family and no one would ever guess she is 84 years old today. Growing up we all called her “Sue” but as we all matured, she indicated she would prefer to be known as Kathy rather than Sue.  I could relate. (The family called me Cindy – which I always hated. My name is Cynthia and I wanted to be addressed as such.) One of my daddy’s sayings was, “I’m full clear up to Sue’s house” when he ate too much. Obviously, we didn’t live in the same city as she.  Luckily, now I do!

For her birthday each year I try to avoid a patriotic theme. It just doesn’t seem fair to her to have to share her birthday with America every year. I liken it to someone who has a birthday around Christmas. The birthday girl needs to be celebrated for herself!  However, this year, she is sharing her birthday week with America’s 250th so it’s kind of a big deal. Thus, I decided the theme would be Celebrating Red, White, and Sue.

Planning was so much fun! I started a month early to ensure I could carry off the theme in food for the dinner. At first all I could find were desserts. Summer fruits are fairly easy – watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, cherries – you get the idea. But the other food was a bit of a challenge.

Appetizers included three dips – red pepper salsa, creamy garlic, and blue cheese — with white and blue corn tortilla chips; popcorn with dried cranberries and blueberries and blue and red M&M’s; and watermelon squares topped with feta and a blueberry. Sparkling fruited lemonade rounded out the starters.

For those who eat meat I made oven-fried chicken – white meat of course! Red, white, and blue roasted fingerling potatoes, and white corn with red bell pepper, to which I sneaked in some chopped jalapeño and cream. I made red, white, and blue deviled eggs, a cannellini bean salad, fruit and purple greens salad, coleslaw with dried blueberries, and a blue pasta salad. *

Since Kathy is a wonderful baker, I didn’t even try to create a cake. Whole Foods has the most delicious Chantilly cake with berries, and a local grocery store had a vanilla, strawberry, blueberry neapolitan ice cream.

Everyone wore red, white, and blue and the party was a huge success. We celebrated our precious aunt in style.

Mary Ann and I wish you a safe and joyous celebration of America’s semiquincentennial! Happy Independence Day!

*Most of the recipe inspiration came from FoodNetwork.com. The Summery White Bean Salad was from KyleeCooks.com and the blue pasta was inspired by a Mermaid Pasta recipe at veganeasy.org. If you follow this blog you know that I consider a recipe a suggestion – I rarely follow a recipe exactly. That said, I am appreciative of these cookbook authors and bloggers for graciously sharing their recipes for people like me to gain inspiration.

4th in Sit

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann

It is hard not to fall in love with a puppy! That is exactly what happened when my father brought home a shy brown and white ball of fur with big brown eyes.  The whole family was grieving the loss of our beloved Irish Setter, Abigale, that was hit by a car.  None of us wanted to think about another pet. However, my father was a hunter and would need a working dog for the hunting season in the fall.  It was hard to think that this little puppy would have to earn her keep. To my brother and me, the puppy was going to be our pet. 

So that is how Heidi came into our family.  She was a Llewelyn English Setter having brown spots rather the typical black spots.  Since it was early spring and way too cold for a puppy to be outside, we got to keep Heidi in the house.  That allowed us to quickly bond and to fall completely in love with her. We couldn’t wait until we got home from school to play with Heidi.   

I have shared with you in an earlier blog that my 4H project was Dog Husbandry.  For that project, you had to care for your dog with feeding and grooming. You had to train your dog and show them at the local 4H Dog Show in early June and again at the end of the summer at the County 4-H Dog Show.  

Truly, Heidi was just a baby, but I practiced with her to prep for the club show which was a few months away.  Now, the training was not intense as it could have been since we had school and other childhood activities.  There was always time to play with Heidi, but I was still learning how to train a dog and show it.  We were both babies.  

Well, I turned around and suddenly, it was the beginning of June.  Show Time!!  Saturday morning of the show, I bathed and groomed Heidi so she would look her best.  She was older, but she still looked like a puppy with a fat belly.  We practiced sit, come, stay, heel, and down that were basic obedience skills.  We were shaky on all of them.  My father drove my brother and me along with Heidi to a local park for the “show.”  Our leaders had us all line up and then instructed us on what we were expected to do.  Heidi was like Velcro next to me.  She was not prepared for lots of people and lots of dogs. Dogs that were bigger and more confident than she was. 

 So, there I was with a timid puppy who forgot everything she knew.  When we told to walk our dogs around the ring, Heidi wouldn’t move.  I had to pick her up and carry her.  From there the obedience trial went downhill.  Heidi wouldn’t even come to me when called.  She was terrified from all the show commotion. However, when we were instructed to have our dogs sit, Heidi sat her little tushy right down in a perfect curtsey.  In the end, we got 4th in Sit.  I was so proud of our little white 4th place ribbon. I was so proud of Heidi.  Everyone else was getting blue, red, and yellow ribbons.  At least, we placed. However, it was a long quiet ride home.

When we got home, Heidi was exhausted.  She could hardly stay awake.   We were also all tired.  Heidi had done her best, and you can’t ask more of a puppy who was trying to grow up.  I sat with my father who said that we could get Heidi trained for the County 4-H Dog Show in late August.  We basically had three months to make this happen.  My father asked if I was ready to do the hard work necessary to make this happen.  I was and had visions of Blue Ribbons dancing in my head.

For the remainder of the summer, my father and I would go in the backyard after supper and worked with Heidi on commands and how to behave in a show ring.  We didn’t miss a day.  It was repeat, repeat, repeat.  Of course, we gave Heidi little treats for her hard work.  She really was working hard for “good girls” and lots of pets and hugs.  Our little puppy was growing up into a dog as she was approaching her 6th month birthday in August.  She was almost at her adult size. Her coat was feathering out, and her body slimmed down into a beautiful English Setter.  Daily brushing was making a difference, and she knew what the different commands meant and could flawlessly execute them.  Would all this hard work pay off at the show? 

The day of the show arrived.  I had butterflies flying all over my stomach.  Heidi had gained confidence over the summer, and I did too.  She was just glad to be with the family.  We got to the fairgrounds where the big County 4-H show was underway.  There were all kind of animals being showed all week long.  There were kids from all the county competing. 

We went to the dog show arena and got ready for the competition.  There were three categories – obedience (sit, stay, come, down, and heel); showmanship (how you and your dog showed in the ring); and confirmation (grooming and how each breed compared to its standard). Heidi and I were ready.  We just had to prove we had grown. I am sure people remembered our last performance.  

The judges cued us on each category, and Heidi and I went through our paces.  Heidi was doing so well in each class, and in the end, we won a Blue Ribbon for obedience, showmanship, and confirmation.  All three.  It was a 4-H Trifecta!  Heidi was just happy working with me. I was so proud of her.  It was a far cry from 4th in Sit.  

As the years passed, my brother and I continued showing our dogs with the 4-H, and there were lots more blue ribbons.   Nothing else ever compared to those first blue ribbons. They were precious.  I still have them.  Heidi was a sweetheart and was so loved by our family.  My father hunted with her, and she gave her whole heart to something she loved to do with him. Heidi is now buried in my heart and will always have a special place there.  

 What I learned from this whole experience is that hard work pays off.  This was the lesson that my father was teaching me.  I think if you were to check out my family, our work ethic is central to who we are.  It is our family ‘s treasure.  We are all hard workers.  As the years passed, you realize what a gift it was to have that trait instilled into our lives.  Heidi was a pretty good teacher too!  Thank you, Sweet Girl! 

Spiders, Mosquitoes, and Fleas, Oh, My!

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

Summer has arrived and with it the crawly and flying things come out. I enjoy sitting in the Urban Oasis (my deck!) but I am so sweet the mosquitoes swarm towards me. Thankfully, I have used a wonderful service for several years. They spray every three or four weeks in bug season to reduce the number of mosquitoes who are determined to fill my arms and legs with welts.

Young woman wearing a white t-shirt and denim skirt with red insect bites on her arm and leg scratching her arm outdoors

While my mother was living with me, I added their pest control service. Quarterly they spray inside and outside to deal with spiders and other bugs. I like their service because they use natural and organic products. It makes me feel a little better about eliminating the bugs.

A few months ago, my granddaughter, who is deathly afraid of spiders, and my grandson and his new wife rented a house together.  My housewarming gift to them was pest control service for one year. My granddaughter-in-law brought two dogs to the household, so pest control seemed a fitting gift.

Yesterday, my grandson called. “The dogs have fleas again!” He mentioned they were bathing the dogs but that he contacted the pest control company to see if they could spray inside and out specifically for fleas. There was to be an extra charge, and the company did not have the capacity in their system to put two payment methods on an account. My grandson asked if he could put the charges on my account. He said they would withdraw cash to reimburse me.

Man on ladder changing ceiling light bulb in living room

I made a deal with him. If he would come to change lightbulbs for me, I would consider that payment.  At 72 plus, I am trying to be mindful of things I should and should not do. Getting on a high ladder is one of those things.  I shared with him that I would otherwise have to find someone to do it and pay them, so I would prefer to help family. He admonished me. He said any time I needed help; I should call him. He would never expect payment to help me.

He reminded me that I paid for his summer tuition. Not that I had forgotten; but he wanted me to know he had also not forgotten and was very appreciative.  At the time, I told him I would much rather share what I have now so I could enjoy seeing him use the gifts I can give, rather than leaving things for him after I am gone. We seniors think of things like that! Having coffee with my friends this morning, we shared the same sentiment.

So, the rental is being sprayed for fleas today and my yard was sprayed for mosquitoes. Soon we will live in bug-free paradise. And we will appreciate the ability to help one another. After all, that is what family does!

A Witch, a Fox, and a Magical Inn

by sssmahh303, posted in Reviews

Mary Ann  

When you think of a witch, do visions of the movie Wicked come to mind or a witch from the Grimm fairytales darkening your mind’s eye?  Of course, it does.  We have been programed.  However, there are gentler witches, and the following review is about one such witch. 

When powerful witch, Sera Swan, loses her magic, how does she gain it back?  This is the theme of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna.  This book was recommended to me by a couple of my book-loving friends – always the best recommendations!  So, I wanted to share it with you.

There is The Inn aptly named Batty Hole, and it is a character on to itself.  It keeps bad guests away and causes flowers to grow in the teacups.  There is a cast of quirky characters that include Great-Auntie Jasmine, who raised Sera; a talking fox named Clemmie -I want to meet this fox; Nicolas, a knight; Matilda, a geriatric oddball; and young cousin Theo who is a budding witch.  Of course, all stories must have a villain and Magical Innkeeping is no exception.  Albert Grey of the British Guide of Sorcery and a powerful witch is Sera’s nemesis and has tried for years to understand her powers.  And if you have a bad guy, you must have an equally good guy. – somewhat like a Hallmark movie!    Hence, Luke Larsen, a handsome academically focused witch, enters the mix with his little sister, Posy. 

This enchanting “family” joins Sera on her quest to regain her magic.  It has it challenges as all quests do, but will it have its rewards in the end?  You will have to read to find out and what a fun read!  I just downloaded A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches – a romantic cozy fantasy, another book by Sangu Mandanna.  I am hoping it will be again a sweet story full of whimsy and magic. However, I have been contemplating – what is an irregular witch?  I guess I will have to read and find out! 

Ritual

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

Do you remember when you would get up in the morning and run a brush through your hair, brush your teeth, splash water on your face, and maybe a dash of lipstick or mascara and run out the door?   Do you also remember when you went to bed, and you only washed your face and brushed your teeth– maybe skipping the face washing if you were very tired.  Well, once you become old, those days are over.  It is time for daily rituals both day and night.

I must now plan my mornings and evenings to perform my rituals.  Each evening before bed, I set out my pills and eyedrops for the morning.  I then must do a 20-minute treatment with this heated eye gizmo for dry eye therapy.  I usually fall asleep while I am doing it, and I must do it twice since the longest it can run is 10 minutes. After the treatment, I clean my eye lids with eyelid wipes and top it off with GenTeal Tears, a Vaseline-like ointment that helps dry eyes.  This is the very last thing I do because you will be only seeing fog.  No reading when you can’t sleep.  This all works so you keep doing the protocol.  Then there are lotions or ointments for one thing or another that is acting up.  My back may hurt so I will put arnica on it which does seem to help. Most of this is not a beauty regime.  That was all done when I was younger.  I kind of chuckle when I see on TV, beauty regiments that are 4 to 6 steps. I would probably be asleep by step two.  So, I save time and money and only use moisturizer on my face.  Oh, I forgot that when I brush my teeth, and I must put my Invisalign retainers in to keep my teeth straight.   I guess if you have TMJ problems you are wearing those as well to prevent a sore jaw.

I have a friend with sleep apnea, and she has a whole host of things she must do to prepare the machine for action.  We need to be thankful that we have medical devices to help us with our many ills, but it sure does take a lot of time to get it all together.  

Then, the sun is up.   It is time to rise and shine.  So, the prep from the night before is ready to go for the morning ritual. One pill must be taken with no food and with a full glass of water.  You can’t eat for 30 minutes.  The eyedrops are timed 30 minutes apart so they are absorbed correctly.  The next pill must be taken with food so that is saved for breakfast.  The final pill cannot be taken anywhere near the first two pills, or it will affect the potency of those pills.  I haven’t even begun to discuss the vitamins and supplements which I may or may not need – maybe I am just the middleman between in and out???

When I am too old or when my memory goes, and I must be taken care of by others, I think I need to write down my procedures for various times of the day, so I am properly cared for.  I have a notebook with my name on it that I am going to put all my instructions and where to buy products to support those rituals. I will put it with my Comphy Box which I wrote about in an earlier blog.  I did put a tin of tea in with the night gowns and fuzzy socks, but I didn’t leave instructions how I like my tea made for example – Paris Teabag, some half and half, and some organic Stevia. There are many things that I like but no one else really knows.  I need to take responsibility for this while I still able to do so.  

Do you ever think about this kind of thing?  You prepare for dying with burial instructions or financial matters.  But do you prepare for living well when the time comes when you can’t independently care for yourself?  In many ways all the rituals are funny, however, necessary.  I am sure with the coming years I will probably add more to my daily routines.   It is best to figure out some systems now, and it may make all the difference later!

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club

by Cynthia, posted in Reviews

By Martha Hall Kelly

When my book club selected this book for our June discussion, I was delighted to know we would be reading a … well … “beach read.”  You know the genre. Easy, light-hearted. The kind of book you just enjoy reading without thinking too much.  I should have known it would be more than that, since Ms. Kelly also wrote *Lilac Girls*, a historical novel set in World War II.

The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club also is set in World War II.  The story centers around two sisters – Briar and Cadence Smith – who create a book club to cope with the war and with their station in life.

The girls become entangled with romance and espionage, with community and family issues, all while living on Martha’s Vineyard. Cadence is hopeful she can break free of the island and make her way in New York City. Briar, on the other hand, longs for the past and a simpler time.

Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club is a story drawn from Ms. Kelly’s family history and uses little known information about Martha’s Vineyard’s part in World War II.  Themes focus on family, female friendships, the power of literature, and ways to find a sense of “normal” during wartime.

I read the book in two days; thus it *was* an easy read. I was struck by the reference to so many other books that I began to jot down the titles when I ran across them — 39 if I got them all! Most of the titles or authors I recognized, but a few sent me searching for more information. Always on the lookout for books to read, I was intrigued by the extensive list, which did not detract from the story line.

As with many books of late, the author includes a bit of modern intrigue with a little twist at the end. Although I anticipated the outcome, Kelly included an unanticipated detail, making for a happy ending.

The book was enjoyable while informative. Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I like to learn about aspects of the past that may be applied to today. It is said that history repeats itself. Hopefully we can use historical facts to inform decisions today.  If not, at least we can enjoy a good story.

Why do I Write?

by Cynthia, posted in Lifestyle

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that Mary Ann sent me a book written by her friend Mark McNease. The book, Blank Page to Bookshelf, is about writing fiction, developing characters, and self-publishing. I fall naturally into the self-publishing space. Several years have passed since I attended a weekend writers’ workshop sponsored by a publishing house. I enjoyed the weekend learning about others’ projects and hearing well-known authors talk about their craft. Yet, the thing that most stuck with me was when the head of the publishing house said – and I paraphrase here – there are so many people who want to write a book that it is virtually impossible to get the attention of an editor. One’s best bet is to self-publish.

Once you have sold 100,000 copies, the publishing houses are more likely to pick you up. The interesting thing about that concept is this: if I can sell 100,000 copies myself, why would I then give my publication to an organization who is now going to take 60% or more of my sales? That set the stage for me … and I self-published two books which I then used at workshops. Now all these years later, self-publishing is quite acceptable.

Woman writing in a journal at a desk with computer and books

Although I work more in the non-fiction space, McNease’s book sparked some thoughts for me to ponder. One such question he posed is “why do you write?”  Honestly, I had never thought about why I write.  I just do.  I sit at my keyboard, and words trickle out through my fingers and onto the screen. Is it important to know why I write? I don’t know.

When I was approaching my 30th birthday an astrologer told me I was a writer. This skill somehow showed up in several houses on my birth chart. (Is that even a thing?) I found the idea fascinating as I never had considered the possibility. Yet for some unknown reason I have always remembered Brenda telling me so. I had barely begun my career in higher education, having earned my first doctorate not long before. At the time my biggest concern was that I must “publish or perish” as they say in the industry.

I recall struggling to put words on the page – not because I had nothing to say, but I wasn’t certain I knew how to say things eloquently enough. Still, when I would reread articles, reports, research papers, and monographs months after completing the writings, I thought they were not half bad – some even pretty good. *smile*  And that has held true throughout my career.

When Mary Ann suggested (for three years before we finally got down to business) that we start publishing a blog, I figured it would be easy to write. The hard part, in all honesty, was setting up the site, learning the platform, and developing a schedule. The two of us over-planned, until finally we said, “it doesn’t have to be perfect.” We will learn as we go. When we were able to let go of perfection, we could do what we enjoyed. Write.

So why do I write?  I guess I just find it relaxing to record my thoughts. Not everyone enjoys writing but we all have outlets. What do you do that releases your creative juices?

Being Prepared for a Natural Disaster!

by sssmahh303, posted in Taking Care of Business

Mary Ann

I was living in Jersey City and working in New York City in 2012 when Hurricane Sandy hit the region.   Who would have thought that such a terrible storm would manifest in late October and cause as much damage in the NYC area?  This was not on my bingo card!

I lived by the Atlantic Ocean a good part of my adult life, so I was used to hurricanes and was prepared.  I was not ready in any way for Sandy to embrace my life as it did that year.  The storm itself did not damage my apartment even though I was located close to the Hudson River.  The water, however, was rising fast from the drains in the complex’s underground garage.  I had to move my car to higher ground.  As I returned to my apartment, the winds were picking up.  It was going to be a long night.  So, the cat and I cuddled up together and rode out the storm.  When the morning dawned, and Sandy went out to sea.  I began to realize how unprepared I was and that was the real storm in my life.  

Of course, the electricity was out so when you went out into the hall, it was pitch dark, no light anywhere.  I did have a headband flashlight and could use that to maneuver the building.  My phone was almost out of juice, but I could use my computer to recharge it for a while.  There was no way to get news, no idea of what was happening.  My refrigerator was beginning to defrost.  I was able to eat what was in there for a few days.  The frozen shrimp thawed out, so I had to cook it.  Thankfully, I had gas, and my stove was fully functioning.  I had to light it the old-fashion way with matches.  The bonus of having a gas water heater is having hot water for a bath even if you had to do it the dark.  Small wonder.  I was so thankful for a hot cup of tea. 

So, one day turned into another, and each day I had a mission.  I went out to find food or ice to keep what I had cold.  The hardest thing was getting money.  The ATMs were not working making it hard to buy food when it became available. Some of the local restaurants were able to make food.  They had gas so they could cook. You had to have cash because the credit card machines were not working. The local banks would only make money available for their clients, so it was a hike of a few miles to my bank for cash.

As the week progressed, the surrounding buildings got electricity.  My apartment was on a different grid, so I remained in the dark.  I found that I got up with the sun and went to bed when it set in the evening.  Electricity allows us the freedom of extending the day well into the night.  Something that we take for granted for the most part.  Eventually, the apartment management brought in trucks with giant generators that gave us light in the common areas.  They showed movies during the day to entertain and set up charging stations for our phones and computers.  If you had an extension cord, you could plug it in the outlets in the hall.  Humans are so adaptable that we immediately create systems to survive.  

What we were dealing with were inconveniences, not real problems.  No one was dying.  You had to put on an extra sweater to keep warm, you had to read rather than watch TV or play games with the family.  The cat enjoyed watching me play solitary, and I think she liked having me around all the time.  I had plenty of food for her, and she was wearing a fur coat.

My school was in Lower Manhattan, so it was closed.  No electricity and several streets had water issues. You couldn’t get into the city if you wanted, because the subways were flooded.  The lines for the ferries were for hours long.  Upper Manhattan had electricity, and you would not know that there was a hurricane.  My boss lived there.  Life was going on as usual.  After a week, the school opened so I had to get into the city.  One of my teachers gave me a ride through the Lincoln Tunnel on Sunday.  I ended up sleeping on my boss’s couch for a week.  The show must go on or rather the school bells must ring.  I was there to greet the children. (In case you were wondering, my cat sitter was able to come to take care of my beloved cat.) 

The next several months, New York got back on its feet.  The surrounding areas did not recover as fast.  Anyone coming in from New Jersey spent double the time getting to work and double the time getting home.  My half an hour commute became an hour.  Thank God for the ferries and buses.  You never appreciated the subways as much as you did when they didn’t work. 

This was my Sandy story.  What did I learn from the whole experience?  You need to be prepared.  I bought an energy block so I could charge the phone and computer. You must make sure it is always charged so you are ready.  I bought a land line phone – a little Slimline.  When the phone towers went out, for some reason the land phone lines were working.  I am not sure if that would work now.  Many landlines are not functioning today.  I bought a battery powered TV so I could get the news.  It also had radio function.  It is an analog, so you are only getting a few channels.  I can’t seem to get any channels in PA.  I also keep a stash of money in all dominations.  I use it for emergencies sometimes, but you must replenish what you use, so you have money when you need it.  

Of course, you need to squirrel away extra non-perishable food and water. I bought a month’s worth of survival food in case there is a Zombie invasion.  Just add water!  Oh, so yummy.  I have Life Straws to use for purifying water from a creek or pond.  I also keep extra medicine in case there is a delay in deliveries.  A first aid kit is a must.  Prepare a go bag for you and your pets if you must evacuate and have your important papers organized to take with you if needed.  Have a deck of cards or other games available to play or books to read or hobbies items like yarn for knitting.  You never know what you may need or how long the ordeal may last. 

As the world heats up, we are going to experience more extreme weather. There is not much we can do about it until the Earth cools if it can.  In the future the inconveniences of what I experienced with Sandy may be real problems.  Be that good Boy or Girl Scout and be prepared.

A Pain in the Back

by Cynthia, posted in Wellness

I have mentioned before that I’m having some back issues. I join approximately 75.8 million adult Americans who experience low back pain, and 28% of those have chronic pain. It seems back pain is one of the most common and disabling health conditions globally. At least I am in good company.

I have had x-rays and MRIs and several different doctors have reviewed the films. I have had Dexa scans and echo-light scans to determine the density in my skeleton. All those fun things our doctors order because that’s the thing to do.  The process has been interesting to say the least.

Recently I met with a neurosurgeon. His staff was attentive, asking me to turn my legs this way and that and to twist and bend to the best of my ability. When the doctor came into the examination room, he pulled up the MRS and told me I had mild-to-moderate arthritis which probably caused some scoliosis. He recommended physical therapy and pain management. Surgery was not currently necessary, thankfully.

Woman standing on street holding lower back in pain

I had just finished six weeks of physical therapy and continued to do as many of the exercises at home as I could. Next, I met with the pain management doctor.

Once again, the pain management doctor reviewed with the MRI. He, however, painted a much gloomier picture. After setting out a plan of action, heavily influenced by health insurance, he started out of the room. On his way out he commented, “You are doing great! Looking at your MRI, I expected to see you in a wheelchair.”  What?! How did I go from “mild-to-moderate” to needing a wheelchair?! Which doctor was closer to being correct?

The experiences reminded me that the most important person in one’s health regiment is oneself. Each of us must decide which recommendation to take. In the case of back pain, there are a few things you can do to prevent or to lessen the pain as you get older. The CDC and others recommend tips to help. Following are some that have helped me.

Maintain a healthy diet and weight (for everything, not just your back!)

Remain as active as possible, under your doctor’s supervision

Avoid prolonged inactivity or bed rest; movement lubricates the joints

Warm up or stretch before exercising

Maintain proper posture

Always listen to your doctor. Ask questions. Discuss solutions.  If your doctor is not open to having conversations with you about your health, you may wish to seek out a professional who will. You are in control of the solutions you ultimately use. No one knows you, better than you.

*This post is the opinion of the author and should not be construed as medical advice!