Wii Tennis Elbow Anyone?

Okay, now this is a bit embarrassing but my arm is sore today from Wii Tennis. Really, that’s just a bit embarrassing, maybe more than a bit. I work out almost every day and today I was almost brought down by the Wii? Sad, Sad, Sad for multiple reasons including the fact that I'm not even very good at it.

Prince Charming and I (emphasis on the “I”) have been knee deep in contractors, public adjusters, etc. this week. We had some good news (some insurance money that we didn’t think that we were getting – big, big YEA!!) and some bad news (there is a huge, huge amount of the bedroom and laundry room walls that need replacing because of some ongoing leaking). We were given some hope (we love, love, love our public adjuster because he may be able to squeeze a few more bucks out of the flood / wind insurance companies) and had a little time to reflect on just how much still needs to be done. Overall though I would have to say that things are looking up and we are grateful.

While I am in the grateful department I want to put in a big plug for my lovely Pumpkin. I am soooooo soooooo sooooo lucky to have a daughter like her. Love you baby!!

I’m working out with Little John tomorrow. Wish me luck although I’m not going to push it by playing Wii Tennis tonight so I might just be okay.

Have a good one!

Ella

And Months to Go Before I Sleep

Today Pumpkin reminded me of something really important … death is just around the corner. Yes, this is the type of uplifting conversations that often occur between a mother and daughter.

She had a point though. Death is somewhere right around the corner, psychologically at least. She was talking to me about a depressing calculation that she had just done. She calculated the number of months that she still had to live based on her current age and the average mortality age for women (around 78). Now when you think “I have 55 years to live”, 55 YEARS seems like quite a long time because we think of a year being quite a long time. Now when you then say "I have 660 months to live" it just doesn’t seem like that much. I mean, a month isn’t a “long” time and 660 just isn’t that big a number. I mean, February is almost over so that would make it 659. Akkk!

I told her that she wasn’t allowed to do my calculation on 78 because I just don’t believe that 78 is my limit. I asked her to calculate my “months left” on 101. So for me, 101 – 48 * 12 (we are not being super accurate here although I am sure that there is a website somewhere out there that does this calculation for you … accurately) makes 636 months left.

And for my mom we used my Grandmother’s age when she died (84) so she has 84 – 67 * 12 = 204. 204 is nothing! At least it feels like nothing.

What this conversation did for me (besides giving me a blog topic) is to make me more aware of life passing by. Time is short; I only have about 636 months left. Time for me to make the most of it!

Calculate your potential months left and see if it makes you look at time passing any differently. Might change your life … at least what’s left.

Have a super terrific rest of the month,

Ella

Celebrating Happiness

My apologies for not posting yesterday, I have SpongeBob here with The Terminator visiting and baby trumps blog every time.

I have felt “behind” all day long. This is the first I have been home since I left for Step Class this morning and I am heading out again soon. I am so used to having very quiet yet filled days that when I have a guest and visit-filled weekend it throws me off a little even though I love the guests and the visits. I think that what I really need is a nap … perhaps tomorrow :)

Pumpkin gave me a very special gift at Christmas. She made little strips of paper that she wrote really, really nice things about me on and rolled each one up stuck with tape and waiting to be opened. They say things like “You deserve to have everything that you want” and “You can do anything that you set your mind to” and “You have a gorgeous smile” and “You are delightful” and … well, you get the idea. There are 365 of them that she made up and placed in an antique jewelry box. The idea is that I open and read one every day. Instead of doing this I save them for days that I might need a little boost or if I am sick and then I might open 2 or more. It always works. So if you are ever looking for a special gift for a special someone I highly recommend that you take some time and create one of these magic feel-good boxes! It will probably be the hit gift of their year. Thank you Pumpkin!

Prince Charming gets back from traveling tomorrow night. He had the opportunity to fly an F-86 Sabre. The first time he flew it he called me and, with a little boy super excited and pleased voice (and if you know him you know that this outpouring of exuberant emotion is not like him), told me about his flight. I can’t tell you how happy he sounded; how tickled with life. It made me sooooo happy to hear him so happy. Isn’t it terrific when the people that we love are happy? Doesn’t it make your world better? I know it does for me. So here’s to happiness!

And maybe to naps!

Have a happy, nappy day!

Ella

Who's Afraid of The Big Bad Wolf?

I found out something today that just floored me. I found out that my friend Ms. Quasimodo has an extreme fear of embarrassing herself in public … and even a little in private. Now you might just say “Hey, me too! What’s the big deal then?” and you would be right because I can’t think of when I was just sitting around wishing for a good public embarrassment but this is a bit different or at least it seems different to me.

My friend, Ms. Q, hasn’t ever put on a costume (which precludes trick or treating which is a crime in my sugar-crazed eyes), she has never sat on Santa’s lap (why would my mother want me to sit with a strange man?), and she ever exercised in public (no gym for this gal) or even in front of her husband. Well, you could have bowled me over with a feather! If she only could see me in step class!! I mean if I am still the barometer for all things spastic in that class, even after 6 months, then I can’t imagine not being able to exercise … in front of your husband of 30 years no less! Really, I don’t know what to say.

My sister-in-law (not Megara who probably isn’t afraid of anything) recently revealed to me that she is afraid to travel by herself. Now, I have known this woman for 25 years, she has traveled all over the world (and back again … multiple times), she is an amazingly strong woman both physically and mentally and here I come to find out that she won’t travel alone! She is afraid of getting lost. She won’t even get on an airplane alone because the person that she is visiting might not be there to meet her and then she might get lost. She is TERRIFIED of this! And I never knew!!! I never suspected. It makes me kind of sad.

It does make me wonder what other deep fear-induced behaviors (or in this case, non-behaviors) are lurking amongst my friends and family (please feel free to share in the comments section … or, if your fear is public writing, then in an email).

As for me, I have a very, very strong fear of heights. I know that that is a pretty normal one but it is what it is. I remember when Pumpkin and I were in a church that was being renovated (I think that we were in Austria) and they had scaffolding set up so that you could climb up and look at the domed ceiling I got about 2/3rds of the way up and then started to cry. Yes, actual crying. I was soooo terrified and I had already climbed so far over my personal fear / height (especially when the stairs are grated so that you can see through) that my body actually made me stop by having me burst into tears. I will never forget it. If we had lived in that town I would have forced myself to climb up and down those stairs every day so that I would get used to it! No, really, I would have.

Any suggestions on how I can help my friends / family? Should I even try? Is it my business? Why would I? Why does it bother me so much when if I had heard that they were afraid of heights … or snakes … or other “normal” fears I wouldn’t have given it another thought? Hmmm…

Have a wonderful fear-free day!

Ella

PS Don't think that I forgot about my Picture of the Day! I just needed a bit of inspiration. I was going to photograph my filing cabinet as I have been filing today but I ended up taking a photo of my chicken soup. Yes, I am getting sick again!!! I can hardly believe it. I mean, wasn't I sick just a few weeks ago??? I have been feeling pretty weak this week as you know and quite drained of energy but I put it down to jet lag ... well, I did sort of. I had that niggly feeling in the back of my neck that it might be a bit more than that. And, sadly, I was right. So, hello Flu, goodbye Jet Lag ... and Hello Chicken Soup.