Category Archives: Old age

May16

Essential Tips for Staying Cool this Summer

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Yes, and although I love the warmth, the sunny skies, the long days, I am a Goldie Locks Girl! Meaning, for me to be comfortable, I need to have the temperature just right! It can’t be too cold or I get stiff, and lock up. It can’t be too hot, or I get heat stroke. I told you I was a Goldie locks girl!

For me a perfect temperature is in the high 60’s or the low to mid 70’s. Now, here in Southern California. it is in my range a lot of the time. But, much of the time I’m either freezing, or melting like chocolate on concrete during a heat wave.

What is the answer to the heat problem?

Older adults we are at risk of heat stroke. Although California isn’t as hot, or as cold as much of the country, I think here in the Southern part of California we have thinner blood and are pansies. We seem to have more colds, and more illness because we have lost our ability to stand up to harsh winters, and blazing summers. So we are pansies!

Since we are now into Spring, we should talk about the heat. We are also at risk being older, and should be very careful about things like hydration, staying out of the hot sun, wearing hats, and sunscreen to protect us from the suns rays. Of course, this should have been done from the beginning, but who could have told us?

Remember the day when we would lie in the sun slathered in Baby Oil, and Mercurochrome. That mixture gave us a stained false tan, along with a severe burn to go with it. It was also so much fun pealing our skin after the burn healed. It was almost worth getting the sunburn for.

Today of course most of us use a sunscreen for protection. The kind of sunscreen is subjective, but we are needing it more and more as things warm up!

My doctor tells me to stay out of the sun, but wear lots of sunscreen, and hydrate.

I have found that closing windows, drapes, and doors seem to be the best way to keep the house cool. Fans help a great deal, and don’t cost much to run. Some of us have air conditioning, we are the lucky ones.

Again, I would go to YouTube for info on keeping cool in summer heat. Although most likely all of us at our age already know how to protect ourselves for heat.

I hope all of you stay cool, healthy, and out of the sun this summer.

I thank you all for stopping to read my blog. Gratefully, Karen

Apr18

Finding Comfort: The Best Pants for Every Age

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I promised you pants this time, so here we go!

Most of my life I’ve worn jeans for my go to pants. And yes, I did have other types of pants, but working in an office all day, I loved coming home and changing into my jeans. We also had a small ranch for a while, so jeans were a must.

Fast forward….. I still love my jeans, especially after I found stretch jeans. If you haven’t tried them, you really should.

As time went on, getting in and out of pants with buttons, zippers, or anything else constricting became a very bad idea.

I’m sure you all know this, but as we age and become more vintage, the importance of being able to rip off your pants becomes of the upmost importance. (But not for the same reason as before).This is why I now wear anything that falls to the floor at the mere suggestion. I wish I’d bought stock in the elastic industry early on, but then again who knew elastic would be so important?

Don’t get me wrong, I still have regular jeans, and they aren’t even stretch. I just couldn’t resist, they are so cute. But every time I put them on, I wonder why I bought them.

Today pants are so different than years ago, or maybe I just resolved myself to needing a quick escape upon necessity. I also have found Yoga pants that work just fine for everyday wear. They stretch, slide off and on with ease, and look half way decent with a cute top.

Everyone has a different style, and that’s ok! We can’t all look alike, nor would we want to. So let me know what you prefer to wear. Tight, skinny, loose, baggy? There are so many different styles that are current these days. Don’t let anyone tell you your clothes need to be any different than you’re comfortable with.

After all we are in the “Golden Years” and we have earned the right to be comfortable, and wear exactly what makes us feel good. So I say, put on some feel good pants, and a top of choice! Now the next step is optional, but never the less, important…..dress the whole outfit with a scarf, neckless, and embellish the entire ensemble with a blingie anklet!

Of course all these things can be picked up at…….AMAZON! Aren’t they convenient? I just love Amazon.

Also, tips, and tricks can be viewed on You Tube.

Thank you for stopping to read my blog. As always, see you next time, Karen

Oct18

Confessions of a 99 Year Old!

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I thought this was interesting, and a bit humorous at the same time. It is 18 minutes long, so sit down when you need a break to watch it.

Thank you for stopping to watch this little video. As always United we Stand.. Karen

Oct4

If I Could Live My Life Over Again…

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“If I could live my life over again,
I would have gone to bed to rest when I felt sick instead of pretending the earth would stop if I wasn’t at work for a day…
I would have burned the pink candle carved like a rose instead of letting it melt in the pantry…
I would have talked less and listened more…
I would have invited friends to the table even if there is a stain on the carpet and the couch needs to be cleaned.
I would have eaten popcorn in the “good” room and wouldn’t have worried so much about dust when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.— with Esme Kopelowitz.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather telling stories from his youth.
I would never have insisted on driving with the car windows down on a beautiful summer day, just because my hair was freshly styled and fixed.
I would have been lying on the meadow with my head on the grass.
I would have cried and laughed less watching TV and more watching life.
But, most of all, to have a second chance at life, I would cherish every moment, I would really look at it… I would live it…
I wouldn’t get so worked up over petty and petty things anymore…
Don’t worry about those who don’t like you, or rather, you shouldn’t care who does what…
Instead, let’s cherish the friends we have and the people who love us…
And to what we do every day to improve our mind, body, soul, emotions.”
Written by Erma Bombeck 1979.

Thank you for taking time out to read my blog. I thought this was worth the read.
As always, we stand together! Karen

Sep6

Accepting Ones Self!

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This isn’t an easy subject!!! I sure have struggled with it, and I’m sure all of you have struggled with it at times also.

It truly hurts to realize we are never going to be what we use to be. On the bright side I tell myself “I’m not what I use to be, I’m better!” That’s how I handle that subject.

Do I believe it? Sometimes yes, and sometimes NO! But I can’t do anything about it, so the only thing I have control over is telling myself, “I wanted to grow old gracefully, so do it!”

Most of us don’t dress like we did, or even like we would like to in our minds. I’m super casual these days, and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I can also kick it up a notch if I need to. (I just can’t remember when the last time I needed to kick it up a notch, and we went somewhere we needed to get dressed up for.)

So my version of dressing up is putting on a pair of my best earrings, and using my most seductive perfume. I even hot iron my hair. Does it work? Well, it makes me feel better, and my husband always compliments me on my clothes, my hair, and anything else that he knows helps me to feel appreciated, and beautiful.

Incase you haven’t figured it out, I have a perfect husband!

What do you do to feel pretty, and desirable? Don’t tell me you have no-one to get dressed up for. Because I think we do this for ourselves as much as for others. If I feel good, I hold myself better, greet others better, and my entire day does better.

Yes, sometimes it’s difficult to greet others with a happy, energetic face, but when we do, it really does make us feel better.

So next time you drag yourself out of bed in the morning, get that cup of coffee, and tell yourself. “I can do this!” Put your best foot forward, with a nice shower, some nice perfume, and something comfy. Maybe kick it up with brushing your hair, and a little lipstick. You can keep going if you feel good enough, but this is a start.

Remember, we are in this together, and we have to stand together!

Thank you for stopping to read my blog, I’ll be back soon. Karen

Aug2

Afraid to Age?

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Why are we afraid to age? Is it the perceived lack of mobility, or having our drivers license taken away, the fear of being sent off to “Shady Pines,” or fear of the unknown?

For me, I’m not afraid of the unknown, but I don’t want to be sent off to Shady Pines either. My license, well I’m sure I won’t like not being independent any more than anyone else, but I certainly don’t want to run my car into the side of a building like you hear on the news that some geezer did either. So, I’ve told all my kids (all means 3) that if they see me do anything that is dangerous, please tell me. They all watch me like a hawk!

But I think the worst thing is that we can worry so much about getting old, and how much time we might or might not have left, that we miss the sweet moments we need to pay attention to. Yes there are moments, but we need to look for them, and appreciate the small little things that are all around us. Sure it’s easy to focus on the negative, but what about the positive? That’s what we need to pay attention to.

Life isn’t always kind, and many of us have had very real disappointments, and losses, that won’t ever change. Life can be cruel, but we don’t have to let the cruelty take over our lives. Loss is real, and heartbreaking, but we are still here and alive. Not one of the loved ones we have lost would want us to grieve, and suffer forever.

I have learned not to look back, unless the tales of the past will help someone. Do not worry about the future, because inevitably it will change, and you will have given all your energy to something that won’t ever happen. Live life in the moment, enjoy what you have and not what you have not!

Life will be so much sweeter that way. That doesn’t mean you forget the past, you have just chosen to not let it define you. That doesn’t mean you aren’t aware of the future either, it just means you are aware that all things can change, and it isn’t worth wasting time and energy on things that change, and you don’t have control of.

You are all part of my tribe, and I wish for all of you a healthy, happy, and fulfilled life. Thank you for taking time to read my blog. Remember we need to stick together for the love we share, and the support we can give one another. Until next time, Karen