Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Facing Reality In A Sort Of Dreamy Way

I went on a pathetically short walk this morning and I have to say that I am as out of shape as I've ever been in my life and there is no one to blame but me, of course. It's been mostly a matter of not exercising because it's too hot or too painful or I'm too lazy or whatever which leads to it becoming harder and more painful and it's a vicious cycle and I'm not exactly angry with myself but not happy with myself, either. 
The pain part is something I'm going to have to address. My right hip is NOT RIGHT and has been hurting for awhile and I especially noticed it on our trip. For one thing, there's a step between the kitchen and the living area in the little pool house which is just the right height to make me wince every time I used it. And I was more aware of my limping when I wasn't at home where I'm not worried about anyone seeing me and thinking, "Look at that old woman." 
I know I need to make an appointment with a massage therapist our family goes to who works on specific problems. She is good with hips. Also, let's face it- I need to lose weight and be kinder to these old hips, these old knees. After a lifetime of battling extra weight and probably fucking up my kids in the process, in the last few years I have gradually just started eating in a way that I know is not helping. It's not that the food I eat is in any way bad for me but I could make better choices and I could eat less and, blah, blah, blah. 
And of course, exercise is part of it all and now that cooler temperatures are settling in, perhaps I will be more consistent. 
We can only hope. 
I know myself and trying to radically change my diet to eliminate different foods, whether fats and grains or dairy and meat will not work. Sugar is not my problem. I rarely bake sweet things unless it's for others. I do love bread and cheese. The savory things are my favorite. 

Anyway, today I took that little walk and took some pictures of the tiny little shop that will perhaps open one of these days. They have painted it. 

It is now quite blue, isn't it? Almost a Caribbean blue. 


The bicycle wheel flowers are, um, rather clever, are they not? Pretty cheerful. Honestly, there's not a lot you could do to make that old block building look like much of anything but an old block building. And by the way, they did not bother to paint the back. Perhaps that is yet to come. I have not peeked in the windows again lately. I can't wait to see what they've done on the inside. 

I made a giant pot of soup to be taken to Canada as I said I would. I cut and sliced and chopped and stirred and seasoned for hours. It is ready to go into containers and be frozen now. I think the men in camouflage will enjoy it. 

There is a chance of rain for tonight and tomorrow, too. Lord, how I hope we get some. This is what my little bed with the phlox and palms looks like now. 


Just so very sad. I did put the sprinkler on them a little while ago. 

But not everything is dreary. I also took these pictures on my walk. 


The confederate rose blooming in front of the old Woman's Club. 



The sasangua in my neighbor's yard. Pretty little dancing elves. 

Ah, it feels like rain coming. I hope that cooler temperatures come back too if that's not too much to ask. I've put on my air conditioning again for the first time in weeks. 

Florida. You just never know what's coming next. 
Like life but in a climate. 

Love...Ms. Moon

31 comments:

  1. Surely The Woman's Club cannot be a historic site if it only dates back to 1800. I mean, that's like yesterday! You could get a part time job in the blue shop if you can curb your cussing. I am sure you have excellent customer service skills "Have a nice day!"

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    1. That "circa 1800" is a damn lie. My house is the second oldest house in Lloyd and was built in 1859. There's another house a bit older but it was built somewhere else and moved here. And yes, I understand that compared to the "Old Country" our historic buildings are a joke.
      I do think I could have excellent customer skills if I tried. But would they let me wear overalls? Hmmm...
      I will have to check out the situation.

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  2. Cooking for another person or persons makes it difficult to control what goes in the pie hole. For the first time since marriage I am eating my own good for me food, I feel so much better- anti inflammatory food, No weight loss but feeling like I may live another couple of years. Last year I had a lot of pain here and there ,and could barely make it up the stairs.
    The little blue building is sweet!

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    1. So you're doing the no-dairy/no meat/no sugar/no alcohol/no wheat thing? Lord, I admire you.

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  3. I hear you, Mary, oh how I hear you. We don't eat badly we just eat too much. Then the vicious cycle of it hurts to walk so I won't walk and now it hurts to do anything.
    I initially read that there was a club for old women. I guess there is a theme in your post!
    You are welcome to some of our rain. We have had more than enough.

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    1. The Woman's Club was a place for women to come together to discuss "womanly" things. Like cooking, preserving, quilting. Teaching women how to do things that women traditionally do. Etc. And it wasn't really built until 1939. So that sign lies.
      Getting old sort of sucks, doesn't it?

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  4. Hope you get some good rain. I love to walk and run, but - like you - don''t do enough when the weather is hot. It is a little cooler and less humid now, so I hope to get back into it at my usual level.

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    1. I hope you get some cooling rain. That will make a big difference.

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    2. Wilma- it's so hard to exercise outside in tropical (or sub-tropical) heat, isn't it? And after a certain age, not really healthy. But yes, let's hope that as it gets cooler, we can get back out and become stronger.
      Joanne- It's not going to get a lot cooler for a few days. I am looking forward to that so much.

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  5. I agree that it's not wise to eliminate anything completely from your food choices. Eat everything in moderation! Eliminating one food only leads to craving then bingeing on it sooner or later. Maybe less of everything is the answer?

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    1. Moderation is indeed the key.
      How I wish I was better at it.

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  6. The little blue building is adorable. And the sky and trees above and behind it are gorgeous. Exercise is not fun. I have a Teeter exercise bike in my basement that I make myself ride. The summer here was so hot and humid I got out of the habit of walking outside. At least the bike keeps me moving.

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    1. I had a stationary bike for awhile. I just could not get into the habit of using it. I give you kudos for using yours!

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  7. I miss walking a lot. I took on a short walk today, to the little grove of trees behind our house. He loved it and I got to listen to the trees in the wind. I have a stationary bike but I'm hit and miss with it. I know I should use it more often but I like to make excuses not to use it. At least it's upstairs now and I have used it, just needs to be regular.

    I'm sorry to hear about your hip. Hopefully it's something that's an easy fix and not arthritis. My oldest sister just had a hip replacement last week and needs to get the other hip done to, but she's older than you. My sisters are 75, twins.

    Have a good day and hopefully you get some rain soon.

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    1. I remember when Levon and I were walking to the park one day and we stopped and listened to the wind in the trees. He listened very carefully and was pleased.
      Eh- my hip has been hurting for thirty years and it's just now really getting bad so I've been lucky. I feel like I'm sort of out of line, which I think we all are, which causes me to carry myself incorrectly.

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  8. Yeah. All of it. I feel your pain, sistah.

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  9. I hope you get your cooling rain soon and enough of it to give your gardens a good soaking. We had rain drizzling all day yesterday and this morning too, but now there is sun peeking through the clouds and outside is warmish, while inside is cold enough to need the heater still.
    I hope you can get your hip seen to soon. I understand about the wrong food choices, my own problem is the sweet stuff. I like savoury too, but will always choose sweet for snacking if it is available.

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    1. I would eat nachos all day long, given the chance. That's my snackage level favorite. However, I cannot tell you the last time I ate nachos. I will say that it was only yesterday that I ate chips and queso. And that is pretty much what nachos are.

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  10. I'm hurting a lot, too, and I'm ten years younger than you. Oy.

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    1. Well you've done a LOT more lifting than I have. Your body has worked HARD, woman!

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  11. Since we're all getting older maybe you could look into joining the "old Women's Club". Goodness knows I have with my card club. I'm the youngest by about 20 years! And I know what you mean about motivation. Heck, if someone could bottle it they'd be billionaires wouldn't they!

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    1. You are so right about motivation. That's why people like Tony Robbins DO make a shit ton of money.

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  12. I like the bicycle-wheel flowers! That IS clever. And yes, the building does look rather Caribbean. I hope it's a shop you can use!

    I need to eat better too. Especially lately. Travel is not conducive to good eating.

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    1. Travel is TERRIBLE for one's diet. Not only are the choices usually not very healthy, that vacation attitude does not help.

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  13. I would hope that massage and perhaps some focused stretching might help your hip........ but...... as we age, unfortunately these things plague us no matter what we do. We can't stave it off entirely, even through all your mentioned methods! It stinks much of the time, I agree
    Susan M

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    1. PS I am always amazed by the flora of your area. I have learned (LOL- over the years) that Confederate Rose is in the hibiscus family, and now I learned that Sasangua is in fact in the camelia family. None of those would grow so lushly (or at all) here in our parched and drought ridden California, sadly
      Susan M

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    2. Yeah, no matter what we do, we've never going to feel like we did when we were so young that we never even thought about our bodies except to please them.
      Sigh.
      Yes! Sasangua is a variety of camellia! They bloom first.

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  14. What a pretty shade of blue, and I really like those bicycle wheel flowers!

    I also need to take better care of myself. I'm constantly afraid I'm on the path to the health woes my family has dealt with: heart disease and diabetes being the two main ones. I keep promising myself I'll do better, like exercise more, eat less, drink less alcohol, etc. etc...and then time keeps passing and I keep indulging myself. Sigh.

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    1. Oh, Jennifer- me too, me too, me too! The road to hell and all of that...

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  15. I am constantly aware of the need to lose weight even though it is not about vanity at this point, as I actually look older with each pound I lose but have been convinced that with each pound being the equivalent of four pounds off my joints, I have no choice but to stay engaged. However, nothing I do at this point short of surgery will ever erase my difficulty with stairs, so you have my sympathy re the hip pain. What else can we do but just keep on. I love you.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.