I like it like that...

Flowers and the sea...is there anything better??? Below are a few more of my favorite things...

Today I began a big, big job. Cleaning out my file cabinet. Mr. H. just bought a new desk that is quite a big deal so he started a clean-up of his files yesterday. Since I was inspired with all his activity, not to mention I haven't done this task in approximately, oh...forever! I decided to have a go at my files today.

Well. The biggest, most nerve-wracking obstacle for me is the actual filing system. Oh, sure, I could just get the folders and the label and say "Health Insurace," but what fun is there in that? Plus I can NEVER remember what I filed where and under what name. Health Insurance could be "Health Insurance" or "Insurance, Health" or "Cigna" or "Health Care Bill-What We Gonna Do Now?" - you get the idea.

So I put on my thinking cap (whatever that is) and decided to come up with a brand new system that is FUN. Or if not "FUN" then at least less tedious. And here is what I came up with. Now I am going to ATTEMPT to paste my new Index here, but you probably won't be able to see the actual "Papyrus" type font, which is actually quite pretty. But again, you'll get the idea.

The basic concept is alphabetical order. BUT instead of "A, B, C" and the like, I thought of a WORD that I liked that began with each letter. So I'll always know where they belong in the drawer, right? Then the contents of that file will contain items that more or less go along with that particular word. Now this is pretty loose, but hey. That's why I made an Index - and anyway, it's my file, so there you go!

My files will contain articles I've clipped from magazines, brochures I've collected, medical records and the like. If you see a word and it doesn't have anything following it, well, I just haven't made a match for it yet...and if you have any ideas or suggestions - I'm all ears!

Here's what I have so far:

Apple…Eating well, nutrition

Breezes…Ocean destinations, cruises

Catalina…Travel, places to go

Delphinium…Family history

Evergreen...Holiday inspirations

Fresh…Fashion ideas

Grass … Landscaping, flowers, container plants, outdoor ideas

Heavenly…Certificates, licenses, awards

Imagine…Photography, other art

Joyful…Baby showers and other celebrations

Kite...

Love…Weddings

Moonbeam...

Nature...

Oxygen…spas, relaxation

Peaches…Ashley and Alyssa, notes and cards…

Quince…periodicals and neat catalogs

Radiance…Beauty, Hair

Sunshine…Grandchildren

Tapestry…Decorating ideas

Unleashed…Puddin’ and other critters

Violet...

Watermelon...

X-chromosome…self improvement

Yellow…Inspiration

Zest…Exercise, working out, health and wellness

If you're wondering what "Delphinium" has to do with "Family History," that's because many years ago when I was a little girl my parents decided to purchase a brand new home that was being constructed in a development in another part of town. Everything was humming right along, we'd drive by the house to observe the progress of the construction and to plan what kind of trees and flowers we'd plant in the front yard (my mother loved to garden and was good at it).

All was well UNTIL...yep, maybe you guessed it. My mother learned they were going to name our street "Delphinium." And what my mother had against that innocent little flower I will never know - but I wish I'd asked her. Maybe she thought it was too hard to spell (although she was a champ at writing AND spelling) - but whatever the reason, that was it. They somehow got out of the deal and we stayed put. On "Brown Avenue." Now if that's not a colorless name for a street, I don't know what is!!!

Column: We need a king of the road to recovery

With the endless debate about the health care bill and all the mud-slinging, threats, name-calling and downright ugliness that accompanied it, I had to get a little frustration out of my system. How did I do that? By writing a column about it, of course. It’s a great little outlet. Although a bubble bath would probably be more relaxing…or a trip to the spa…or…hmmmmmm…well, lots of things, but any port in a storm, you know.

If you would like to read my solution to all the bickering in Washington, just click on “The Column” link above – and see if you don’t agree!

It's Official,Mon!!!

One month ago today... I got a telephone call early one morning. It was about 7am Pacific Standard Time. I was in Colorado at my brother's house in Pueblo, waiting for my friend Nancy to pick me up. We were going to coffee and then to a meeting for high school reunion business.

The call was from my first born, Miss Ashley, who was at that moment driving to her job at school. In the backseat were the young Miss Gracie and even younger Miss Emily along for the ride and on their way to Miss Phyllis, their wonderful day care provider.

That early morning phone call was like I'd wandered into a whole field of bright green 4-leaf clovers - just like those in the picture above. "It's official," Ashley said. "We're moving north." Yes, Jim's company was sending him to the Bay area.

Now this was great news - of a sort. Because it wasn't going to be simple. Or easy. And I have honestly been afraid to say ANYTHING to pretty much ANYBODY until just recently. Because I didn't want to jinx anything. After all, hadn't this ALMOST happened a few years ago and then everything went KaPLOOEY!!??? Yep it had. But on the other side, hadn't I just a few short days earlier written on Facebook that it's hard to be in Long Beach (because of missing Charlie) and it's hard to be home (missing Gracie and Emily)? Yes, my heart had been split in half for a long time. Pretty much since Ashley moved to Arizona and then Long Beach some 13 years ago...

But today we're getting closer to having this move become reality. It's still in baby steps, but agreements are being negotiated and plans are being made and a path is being forged. So today, on this St. Paddy's Day that harkens back to the Luck of the Irish...I'm putting it out there. It's still a bit of a tentative whisper, but today these Irish eyes of mine are smiling because... Me Lads and Lassies...Me thinks it's official!!! :)

Das Boot

I'm afraid there just cannot be a pretty picture for this posting...and no, the above isn't some strange type of snow tire laying on a field of freshly fallen snow. Nope. I'm afraid it's much less pretty than that.

The above contraption is the resulting monstrosity from my visit to a nice podiatrist in Gilroy day before yesterday. And to say that I've procrastinated is putting it mildly.

Back in July my ankle got sore (and by "ankle" I mean that front part of the ankle where the bend is when you flex your foot). Now it had hurt before, especially when I wore one particular pair of tennis shoes that felt too stiff - but it had always "worked itself out." Yep, it felt kind of like a burn-y kink was binding up that part of my foot. But, you know, you expect these things to sort of just go away. On their own. Cause that's what bodies do, you see. They heal themselves.

However, my body didn't seem willing to go along with the self-healing plan and last Saturday it flared up - big time. As in next to impossible to walk. Putting one foot in front of the other made me see stars. But I had things I had to do Saturday morning. So I just said to myself (and my obstinate ankle) "This is just stupid! I don't have time for this!" thinking a little tough love to my foot would make things all better.

Well. Just like me, my ankle apparently has a stubborn side. It didn't get better. Not even when I came home around 11:30 and plopped my foot up on the couch. It throbbed. It ached. It felt like it had little swords dancing around in there. I dreaded getting up. I pondered whether hospitals delivered bedpans. And of course Mr. H. was at a golf tournament and if I was going to get up, it would have to be under my own steam.

Around 9pm things got better. I could walk without the shooting stars. Slowly, very slowly, but I could navigate. Sunday was a teensy bit better. But the handwriting was on the wall. I contacted my buddy Macey and got (for the 17th or so time but who's counting?) the name and phone number of her foot doc in Gilroy.

So making a short story even longer - x-rays netted no positive info. There was a chip on a bone in there somewhere in that forest of little bones that comprise the foot. But that could be an old injury, Dr. Fisher said. Or maybe the two bone spurs on my ankle were the cause of the pain - probably arthritis related (great!!!!! getting older is not for sissies) - but as for the tendon and soft tissue, it was not possible to tell without benefit of an MRI.

Then, because I suppose he wanted to give me a memento of my first visit to his office, Dr. Fisher came in with something that looked like hip waders that you would wear into the Colorado River. But he wasn't carrying a fishing pole...did this mean? Oh, yeah. It meant...big-time ugly boot. "Don't you have any cute ones?" I whined as he laced the thing up via vast amounts of Velcro. In response he drew a flower on a 2" wide strip of adhesive and slapped it on the boot.

Well, I have to say, I think the blasted thing is helping. Not yesterday, though. That was a big-time pain-in-the-ankle day so I heeded ol' Doc Fisher's (he's not really old, I just think that sounds kinda country-doctor-like) advice and stayed off my feet for a good part of the day. Where I glared at my floors that could use a vacuum and the furniture that could use a dusting and the kitchen counters that could use...well, some sandblasting perhaps.

But it was worth it. Today - although the boot is still on my foot and will be pretty much 'round the clock for the next couple of weeks - I am PRACTICALLY pain free! What a concept! Between knee surgery 20 months ago that took FOREVER to heal and then my ankle I haven't been able to walk without some major hitches in my get along for years. Literally.

So - it's too soon to say if "Das Boot" is the miracle answer I've been waiting for. But, for now, it sure appears to be "Das Gute Medizin!"

Column: The year of getting in shape

Since May 18 is coming soon, I thought it was time to kick my work out routine into high gear. (May 18 is when Alyssa returns to work and I take over daytime care of my little grandson, Charlie Hammond Wagner!)

Since I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the water (I am Aquarius, so this attraction to water is a natural fit) I decided to join the CRC (Centennial Recreation Center) and head for the water aerobics class. Of course in my life, nothing is ever as I expect it to be and what does that mean? Yes, a column, of course.

To track my swim experience, just click on the "Column" label above!