title explained

Onward and upward! something that you say in order to encourage someone to forget an unpleasant experience or failure and to think about the future instead and move forward.

My e-mail: jjmiller6213@comcast.net

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Sorry

I am so sorry I have put you all through these last few days of my rant.  I am sorry I sullied my new, pristine blog with such garbage.  It is, as it is.  I feel such a sense of relief however--my "secret" blog, known only to a few choice friends.  Whenever asked by "others", because they couldn't find my blog anymore,  I have told everyone, even Pearl, that I deleted my blog.  "But--I liked reading all your stuff!"   I even lied to my sister and told her I had deleted it.  We are very close, we agree on everything, BUT--I really don't want her to read this junk and realize her older sister is weird and a bit off her nut, so to speak.  Mental issues--I got 'em.  Must run in the family, LOL.

I guess I have become more cynical of people--maybe a tad paranoid?  I want a place where I can let it all hang out BECAUSE--that helps get all this stuff out of my head so I can move forward.

I did realize something this morning--a few  years ago I was much more upset when she pulled one of these "disconnects".  A few years ago, I would get emotionally upset about a lot of things, but you know what--when Fred died, it gave me a new perspective.  When your soul-mate, companion, husband--that person closest to you emotionally and physically dies--anything else, just pales in comparison.

What could be worse?

Everything else that comes at you is like---WHATEVER!
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Now---

I am still covering all my "to do" things.  I went to my primary care doc's office and had blood drawn.  The nurse there does it so much better then the lab.  She uses a butterfly needle and is it easier to get in these old veins.  Then I got my orders for a mammogram and a chest x-ray--just got to call the hospital down the road and schedule them.  I also took in my prescription list and had the office lady renew all my scripts.

Look at this picture--please excuse the old wrinkled, arthritic hand.  It is a basketball charm--like those high school girls would have received if they played on the Varsity team.  It belonged to my friend Little Judy.  She passed away a few years ago.  Last week, at the school pals luncheon, her sister gave it to me.  She found that it opens up and inside she found tiny little pieces of paper with writing on them.  She wondered if I remembered what was written on the papers.  I sure did!!!


Judy and I were at the Michigan State summer music program.    We both played in the concert band and she was in the choir and I was in the orchestra.  That is where I met Richard Spencer Dunham--who came out to visit me two Sunday's ago.

One night in our dorm room, Judy opened up the charm and we each took a couple pieces of paper and wrote our initials and our boyfriends initials on the paper.  We each had two pieces of paper.  She wrote:
JB + RT and JB +FL.  I wrote on mine, JW + GM and JW + RD.  We stuck them in the ball and vowed that we would open it up again in twenty-five years and see which of the guys we had married.

She and RT were going together, but he died and she never married.  I married GM.  I think she must have forgotten about our vow--I know I sure did.

Now--57 years later, I have it and the tiny pieces of paper inside with the initials on them.  Do you know what a treasure this is for me?
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Today I tested out my new hips.  I haven't been able to work in the garden for four years.  Four years ago, I was in bad shape.  Three years ago, I had my first surgery, but my left hip was still in huge pain.  Two years ago--I still couldn't do anything.  Last year at this time, I was using a walker and barely able to walk, let alone bend over or lift anything.  THIS YEAR--TODAY--I went into my storage shed, loaded up my wheelbarrow with garden ornaments, and stuff for my porch and hauled it out and put it to good use.  Then, because I am such an idiot, I lifted the two big tub planters off the back porch where I had tomatoes planted in them last spring, put them both into the wheelbarrow and pushed them out to the front of my house. Lifted them out and positioned them.  They were heavy as the soil is still very wet.  I will plant them both with Fuchsia colored geraniums, dark blue/purple Wave petunias and light pink Impatiens.

Then, I took my porch chairs (plastic, not fancy) and the plastic table that matches, put them in the wheelbarrow and pushed it out to my hose spigot.  Sprayed them all with Fantastic, scrubbed them with a stiff bristled brush and rinsed them off.  They are now back on my porch and looking nice.

I went across the road to Bordine's (a garden shop) and bought a 20# bag of Miracle Grow potting soil and 3 of those kinds of planters that sit on/over the porch railing.  My railing is 6 inches wide, so I had to get the bigger ones.  Took my great grandmother's pickle crock and put it on the top step--it will be filled with a mixed color of Impatiens--as will the railing planters.  Put my little rose bush that my gal pals got for step-mom's funeral on the porch table.

Then I walked around my front perennial garden and put sticks in bare spots where I want to plant more spring flowering bulbs this fall.  Put my solar light hummingbirds thingies in that garden.
Now, I know this doesn't look like much, but, the last two springs I have had 2 tulips and 4 daffodils.
This winter with the good snow coverage and lots of spring rain, those tulips I knew were
down there, came up.  Multi-colored Impatiens will go in the standing pot and some Silver Falls in the front which will grow into a nice trailing, sort of "drape" for the front of the pot.  That white pot in
the background is one of the heavy ones I lifted off the back porch.  It will contain the geranium, petunias and impatiens.
The rocks in this garden came from the farm where I was born, the farm where I lived and the
Centennial Farm where my sister lives.  Also on this end, a large rock that looks like a brain
that my mother gave me in 1964 and a crystal  (Geode) from Fred's mother.  

After I rested a bit, I hung up my MSU wind chime, humming bird feeder and  my small American Flag that goes on one of the porch planters.

Then I moved my metal trash can of bird seed, off the porch and back down near the bird feeders AND took my trash barrel, filled it up and hauled it out for garbage pick-up tomorrow.

I could only work for about 20 minutes at a time and my back kept hurting, so I'd have to rest, but---HEY--I AM GARDENING AGAIN!!!  The hips feel fine.  This evening, I got out my garden file--the last time I worked on it was 2009--and started figuring what I needed, and made out my list of what plants to buy.

When I go to my ortho surgeon end of month for my x-ray check-up on my hip replacements, I am going to ask him if I can ride my bike again--haven't done that in 4 years either.

I can hardly wait until mid-May when it is safe to plant my annuals.  I will take so many pictures you are going to be bored with looking at them.

OH--I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back still aches a little tonight, but it recovers so much quicker since I got my hips fixed--it is an absolute miracle!!!!!!!!!!!!


5 comments:

  1. The fuchsia colored geraniums, dark blue/purple Wave petunias will be gorgeous. I can't wait for the pictures. Judy, the thing I admire most about you is your resilience. You get knocked down and get right back up. You are a great example.

    The basketball with your initials is quite a story. I remember when H and I got married, we used to say, "Wonder what we'll be like in ten years." Ten years seemed like a long time. We will be married 44 years in November.

    I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that you're gardening again. It's good for what ails you.

    I commented on your previous post. I don't know what happened but I didn't get notified in my "wordpress reader" when it was published, but I did receive this one today. So all is well. Can't miss one of your posts, don'tchaknow!

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  2. What a lovely day you had. Being out and working in nature is so healing and brings lovely rewards.
    The story about the basketball is really amazing, Judy. Love it. You have such good friends, and like, Bella Rum says above, you are very resilient.....you give many of us a lot of hope.
    Congrats, too, on tackling your to do list. There is a lot of empowerment in that!
    Happy day to you!

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  3. JUDY!! I can't believe you picked up those heavy things. But, more power to you; I hope you can get out of bed this morning.

    You know, I'm just messing with you. Love the picture of the flowers; I can't wait to see more pics as time goes on. I'm going to really miss yard work; there's not much I can do here plus not sure where we'll be as time goes on. I may stay here, and Patti buy her own place, but who knows?

    Love you girl; so happy about the little basketball. Sweet!!

    xoxo

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  4. So proud of you...
    Wish I could share some flowers with you.
    All the cuttings planted 3 years ago are massive.
    Take care
    and remember many are proud of you and I smile
    when I read your sharing.
    So
    much I relate to...

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  5. You're great Judy, thanks for always sharing and being so candid.

    Julie

    ReplyDelete