I made the road trip yesterday to my (now) former boss' house and was able to sit and visit for about 45 minutes while there. She showed me her back yard that they are having remodeled - wow. It's a lot bigger than what it looks like from the street. One thing that struck me as amazing is that her husband showed me a fig tree he planted last year. I'm sure he said it was only one year ago. He said when he planted it, it was only about 2" high and had one leaf. This 'fig tree' is now about 8 feet tall! AND it has figs on it! I had to stop and google fig trees real quick. It actually says three to five years before it will bear fruit, but this fig tree had two figs started on it about the size of a marble. AND it says that they grow well in Mesa, AZ because of the dry heat. I thought that was funny. Makes me wish once again that I had a back yard that I could plant things in and Sheeba could run loose in. Oh well. It is what it is.
One good thing that came from my road trip yesterday - and it was a wonderful surprise. My boss is an artist - in the true sense. She loves to create things - from paintings to sculptures, to welded structures, She is in all of that. She has a 20 ft welded 'disc thrower man' hanging in her garage that she has framed with wires and is welding metal to it. After she does that, she will sell it. I think I've mentioned before that she created this huge pink chair and it sat on the street sidewalk in Tempe, AZ for some time. I think she said someone now has it in their yard... but you can google 'The Big Pink Chair' or there is also 'The Big Pink Chair on Facebook. She made that in a college project she completed in her 40's. She also has oil paintings hanging in museums, but I don't know what or where.
I had asked for a specific drawing/painting probably two years ago when she showed me a drawing she had done for a book cover. She never did that for me, and yesterday when I visited, she did hand me another drawing. It is done in colored pencils, but it is beautiful. It's not quite 11 x 17 but around that, I'd imagine. She told me she couldn't do the one I had asked for. Her mother had died unexpectedly in January this year and she is still grieving that loss and just couldn't do it. But this one... she actually did some research she said. She researched my name and saw it meant a brilliant colorful star explosion that sent out positive energy. I don't know if I am seeing what she drew specifically, but what I see is a beautiful path with flowers all over the sides of it. Of course I haven't taken a look this morning but am pulling from my afternoon memory. I did ask her to sign it and she put her initials. Who knows, some day she may be famous! I am going to have it framed so that I can hang it up. The picture is very calming, considering it is to resemble an 'explosion'. LOL Just remembered I did take a photo of it last night to send to someone.... and in looking at it now, it doesn't have a path... and I can see where it is an 'explosion'. Interesting. Still going to get it framed.
If you think about it, we are all on a journey in this 'thing' called life. Snapshots of our lives are everywhere. Those memorable moments we have with our children, our grandchildren - and yes, even sometimes with our spouses! Those snapshots of time that we treasure in our minds that when we are weary, we can pull them out and feel comforted. Those snapshots in our minds of the good times, and the bad times, that make us who we are. Some snapshots never fade. Many we don't want to lose over time, and yet, over time, they do start to fade to where we wonder if we imagine parts of them. Especially the older we get and the more we fill our mind with other things, it gets harder and harder to remember some things that we didn't want to forget. It's always fun when someone says 'do you remember?' and you do! But then, too, there are those times when they ask that question 'do you remember when...' and what they describe is NOTHING like you remember! Ever have that happen to you?
My little sister was describing something from about 15 years or so ago.... I wasn't there, but I have heard the story from both parties.... and the story she related the other day of the conversation was totally different from what she had shared back then, and since then. I didn't correct her; I wasn't there. But it blew me away how totally different her recollection was of that conversation than what she related years ago to me, and from what the other party had related to me. Ironically, the other party mentioned the same story a few weeks ago when we were chatting... and that story was the same as I had been told in the beginning. I'm beginning to fear for my sister's mental recollections and blame it on the medication she takes for various things. I've heard that different drugs can confuse you when they are blending togehter in your body, and I think that is what is happening. And I feel sad. Another story for another day. For now, just a comment.
Of course you probably wonder about me at times as my thoughts seem to jump from one thing to another... and perhaps I don't remember ever incident as clearly as before. I can blame it on my 'old age' since I don't take a lot of medications. And I refuse to. I go for a physical with a new doctor next month so I need to work on getting my cholesterol down some - it's still below 200 but the closer it gets the doctors always want to put me on medication. And I refuse. I don't want to take a statin. I just need to eat better and cut out a lot of crap.
And I have been eating better the past few weeks. Except I had a weak moment this week. Ok, maybe one or two. Hubby bought me cheez-its (which I love - so it's his fault I've been eating them) and I don't know what came over me the other day at the drugstore - I bought oreos! And one row is already gone - as hubby pointed out to me last night - and he says he only had one. (ugly face here) I have an addiction to carbs and sometimes just can't leave them alone. But I get my cravings and once I overeat on carbs, I can walk away and leave them alone for awhile. So that makes it ok, right?
God created many fruits and vegetables for us to eat but I don't think he meant for us all to be vegetarians. He also created cows, lamb, and other animals for us to eat. But it's all the crap they put in them when they make them. So how about we quit eating processed foods and start eating fresh foods? What if we gave up the sodas for a month, just to see how it would affect our bodies. What if we gave up all the goodie junk food we enjoy for one month? I can guarantee you, you will lose weight and you will feel much healthier But the problem is - we.just.don't.want.to.give.it.up. Truly. We enjoy that soda and that junk food.
But would you give it up so that you could live a day longer, a year longer, years longer? A (step) granddaughter has started a new nutritional blog of sorts on Instagram. I came across it accidentially. It looks like she is going to launch the program soon, but I'm still not sure what it is. I guess she has has medical issues from eating various things and has done her research on what we should be eating. I've been interested in the information she has already given, including protein powders that I have used over the years. I never understood all the things that are in them... and she breaks it down. I find it interesting, and I want to hear more about it. It sounds like she is creating a 'business' and will be coaching people through this program. If you are interested in checking it out.... check out 'reconnected.nutrition' on Instagram. She comments: *big fan of the human metabolism. *food industry myth busting *happy bellies, happy hormones, & happy fitness can exist at the same time. Check it out.
I'm interested in anything that will keep me moving and active so that I can live longer and enjoy my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Are you?
Ultimately, of course, it's all up to God when your end-time has come. But I want to live 'alive' until the end. :-)
Have an awesome day!
Be blessed - and be a blessing to others.
