Oct19

We’re Getting Better & Better

Posted on by
Image
We’re Getting Better & Better

How do you feel today? As the weather gets cooler, everything changes, but we still can look fabulous even if we are a little off inside. For me I’m more stiff, everything aches, and now I need to get use to the new winter challenges. We are all alike, our challenges are different, but the boat is large, and holds us all!

I mentioned a while back about the Advanced Style, so now I’d like to show a video featuring some of the ladies from that group of very interesting women.

I love watching, and listening to all of them talking of their creations, how they feel about aging, & much more. It’s not a long video, but an interesting one.

The first thing I realized was that they are pretty much all from New York. I’m sitting here on the West Coast!” I know a lot of you are not in California, but I’m guessing we have different ways of dressing depending on where we live. So even though the women in NY are fabulously dressed, we are much more casual here in the west. Maybe it’s just an age thing. We dress up, it’s just a more casual dress up.

I went to the Opera several years ago, and my husband and I were all dressed up because it was the Opera. Hardly anyone was dressed nicely, and more than half were dressed in what I would call cleaninng clothes. The T-shirts. and jeans were dirty, and yes they were younger, but I was younger at the time too. The whole experience was so disappointing to me. The opera was great, but the people around me not so much!

As I watch women get all dressed up for little outings, ie: Doctor appointments, grocery shopping, even going to fuel up the car, I now understand why they do this. Is there any other time, or any better time to dress up? Now I’m loving being home, safely tucked away, able to do what I want, listen to my own kind of music, and dress up in my PJ’s if I want.

Personally, I put makeup on to make me feel good. It’s only to help me feel better each day, and just for me. Sometimes it’s a effort, but I still do it.

Let me know what you think of these interesting women…..

Thank you for taking time to read my blog, have a beautiful day.

Karen

Oct5

Empowering Women: Finding Your True Self

Posted on by
Image
Empowering Women: Finding Your True Self
Sisters
Sisters

What did you aspire to when you were younger? Was it a secretary, waitress, entrepreneur, or something more interesting?

For me…I was raised by two only children, & the ideas of both my parents was a bit antiquated. But, I know they did the best they could with what knowledge they had at the time.  

My father believed that you graduate from High School.  The plan for a woman was to get married, have children, & care for your family.  Antiquated even then!  That’s wonderful if that’s what you want to do, & I thought I did. I really admire women that can be homemakers, and be content doing that.  For me, I was proud to have a home of my own, & care for my family.   But, I soon realized I wanted more!   But what?

I think for many of us, it might have been the same.  Did we ever reach our goals?  Some of us were smart enough to continue on to a higher education.   Good call ladies...  I wish I had the insight, and maybe a lot of courage to do so.  Some of us were able to create a career from the things we learned in school.   Kudos to the rest of us!

That being said,  here we are.   We are finished with carriers, children, & in some cases our grandchildren that are over being with Grandma!   My youngest grandchild is a boy, & now fourteen.   By fourteen,  & especially boys,  are finished with Grandma.  They are on to carving their own place in their own world.  Granted this world is smaller than ours, but that’s what they know!  Some of us have lost our spouses, some not. 

It’s time ladies, for us to concentrate on our own selves.  Do we know who we are?  Who we want to be when we grow up?  Personally, I’m always trying to figure that out. 

For me, each day I learn something new, & try some new art technique (because I’m an artist).   That’s what makes me tick.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, my own children, and my grandchildren.  I love my friends, and I get much inspiration, and support from all of them.

Us Girls
Girls day!

In the next couple of weeks, I would like to see that you are all trying to figure out what makes you happy, what you can do even if it’s on a small basis to make yourself content. Something that you can do that fits into your lifestyle.

I know we all don’t have the same kind of energy, or stamina so it will be different for each of us.

Until then, be happy, and content!

Thank you for taking time to read my blog. Each of you makes a difference to me.

We stand together, Karen

Sep26

A Little Halloween Fun

Posted on by
Image
A Little Halloween Fun

Since I don’t really participate in Halloween any more, I thought I’d post a little collection of Halloween treasures my girlfriends and I have made over the years.

The pumpkin is real with succulents hot glued to the top. As long as you spray the succulents with water every couple of days, they last quite a long time.

I’ll bet you can’t imagine how much fun I had creating skulls! Each different, with their own personality.

The little skulls are even fun to decorate…

This skull is my favorite. By the time I painted, and decorated it, it started to speak to me. Something only artists may understand .

I hope you enjoyed seeing all my skulls, now I just have to pull them out this year.

Happy Halloween

Together we stand, Karen

Sep26

Aging With Grace!

Posted on by
Image
Aging With Grace!

Who is this Grace anyway? And why are we suppose to age like her?

Aren’t those the questions that we ask ourselves each day we wake up. The other question is, “Who is that old woman in the mirror!” That question haunts me each day.

The one thing I realize, as I age, we need to stick together, and support one another. Lift each of us up when they are down. By the grace of God, we are not all down at once. This is most helpful in survival!

I am creating this blog, changing its name, and the objective. I’m sure I will still have a little frittering of content here and there, but mostly this blog is to give us each the courage to keep moving, keep up our mental health. I can’t do much about our bodies, except realize we all have challenges. Whether we look fabulous at 75, or we’re going to hell in a hand basket at 74.

The boat is getting bigger, we are getting bigger, and we are in this together! As we age, we are actually more valuable. I think we are aging like fine wine. Full of experience, full of love, and full of compassion. At least, that’s what I’m aspiring to. I have more patience, understanding, and love for my fellow man than ever before. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely don’t love everyone, sometimes I don’t even like some people. But I love being around people, talking to them. I love hearing music from a different country’s or hearing the lilt in their languages. I love seeing the different colors, and jewelry they wear. I love learning about our differences. I even thrive on hearing their opinions, and ideas.

Lately, I’ve been watching, “Advanced Style” on You tube. Those videos are what give me inspiration to write this blog. They are uplifting, fun, and definitely something to think about. Some of the women are in their 100’s, and still vibrant. If you get a chance check the videos out.

Of course, this is all from my prospective, and you may feel different. As a matter of fact, I’d be surprised if you didn’t feel differently, that’s what makes us all so wonderful.

Together we stand, Karen

Sep10

Time for a Redo, Seasoned With Style!

Posted on by
Image
img_2858

I couldn’t believe how long it had been since I had blogged until one day recently I looked to see just how long it had been. Lately, I’ve been thinking about a redo for my long forgotten blog, and that’s when I discovered how lazy I really was. Sure there have been things going on, but when I look back it made me wonder, what had been so time consuming, what had I been doing, and just how lazy was I?

For the last two and a half years I have ween working out at the YMCA.

It started with the realization that if I didn’t do something to keep moving, I would surely stiffen up and turn to stone!

So I hired a good trainer, and with so much courage I couldn’t stand it, I marched into the YMCA my very first day. Generally the first day of anything is scary, but I faked it the best I could. It was an easy day, because I just had to answer a lot of questions, and fill out paperwork ( I love paperwork). At this time I was able to get to know my trainer, and he me. That made me feel much more comfortable, and made the second day a lot easier.

Since I was only going once a week, I had a lot of time to get myself into a place of great courage, because of course everyone would be watching me.

All decked out for another appearance, I entered the Y the second time. This went on for well over a year. Eventually, I kicked it up to twice a week, but this was it, I didn’t have any intention of going to workout more than two days a week…. by the end of almost three years I just punched it up to three days a week, and it feels good. But, this is it!!! I’m far to busy to workout more than three days in one week! After all I have to make time for a nap! I feel naps are important for stamina, and creativity!

Recently I started thinking about how life continually changes, and meanwhile we are all getting older. Well I am, I don’t know about you. In my “retirement community,” there are so many grumpy people. People don’t seem to embrace the “Golden Years!” Many aren’t healthy, or their families are far away, but for whatever their reasons they are unable to find happiness in much of anything. I find this increadably sad.

On YouTube there are so many posts of seasoned people who dress up just to make breakfast, or go for a walk, and listening to them gives me a good deal of inspiration. So in short, if this is in short, I plan to rename my blog. I haven’t decided exactly what I will be calling it, but the focus will be on Growing older with Grace, and Gusto.. That might even be a good name!

Coming soon a whole new look, with a whole new focus. Stay tuned…..

See you soon, Karen

Aug24

What Do Our Words Really Say

Posted on by
Image

I’ve been reading a new book titled, The Man Made of Words, by N. Scott Momaday.

It brought to mind that the words we use, the words we say, and how we say them can be of great impact to others. Just think about the ways we can or do get a point across. Sometimes we will repeat a story 900 times, other times we forget and leave things out, but other times we can be impatient, and be cutting, or even cruel. We all have said something that we didn’t quite mean the way it came out, but did any of us ever think of how those words made the other person feel. My son tells me I beat a dead horse, and he is not happy about it!

I’m an impatient person by nature, so I’m usually trying to pull back and be more patient. This takes an incredible amount of self control at times. Most of the time I can do it, but sometimes I can be nippy, & regretfully bitchy! At that moment, I never stopped to think about how my sharp words have made someone else feel. (Patience is my New Years Resolution! Always) This book has brought so many things to mind, and the way words can cut deep into the people listening, or to whom the words are directed. I don’t want to do that to anyone, and that certainly would never be my intention.

I watched this man of the Nations, N. Scott Momaday on a talk show a couple years ago, and decided to purchase this book for my husband for Christmas. When it arrived I stuck it away to be wrapped later, and put it in a place that even I couldn’t find it. So the next week it occurred to me that I hadn’t wrapped it for my husband, and since I was sick all of that December, I hadn’t bought anything but a flashlight for him. I felt terrible, but my kids didn’t even get much. Lo and behold, I had purchased two books for him without realizing it, and neither of them were found in time. It was to be the Christmas that goes on giving!

Next time I feel myself loosing patience, I need to slow down and think about how those words are going to sound, or have an impact on the other person. Everyone has their own problems, and sometimes they don’t show them, so a little bit of kindness, patience, and the more careful selection of my words might put everyone in a better place.

Thank you for slowing down to read Karen’s Stone Soup, see you next time.

This is a post I had long forgotten, but I decided to publish it as a reminder to myself to be a little kinder, and more compassionate.

I also want to let everyone know that going forward my focus will be on aging gracefully, and loving who we are in the so called “Golden Years!”