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40 Odd Things

Posted on by Barb
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Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

40 odd things about me . . . Please play along! They’re fun to read!

1. Do you like bleu cheese? yes

2. Coke or Pepsi? Coke

3. Do you own a gun? no

4. What flavor of Koolaid? strawberry

5. Hot dogs? before I became a vegetarian, yes

6. Favorite TV show?  currently: Chicago Fire; all-time: 30 Rock

7. Do you believe in ghosts? no

8. What do you drink in the morning? black coffee

9. Can you do a push-up? yes

10. Favorite Jewelry? bracelets

11. Favorite hobby? crochet

12. Do you have ADD/ADHD? no

13. Do you wear glasses? yes, but I mostly wear contacts

14.Favorite cartoon character? Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

15. What three things have you done today? showered, fed breakfast to the furbabies, read blogs

16. Three drinks you drink all the time? water, coffee, San Pellegrino Limonata

17. Current health worries. my poor memory and cognition

18. Do you believe in magic? no

19. Favorite place to be? Galena, Illinois, in the fall

20. How did you bring in the New Year? this year, we actually stayed awake long enough to watch a countdown on TV; most years, we’re already asleep

21. Where would you like to visit? Italy

22. Name four people that will play along: I don’t know

23. Favorite movies? too many to list, but some are Star Wars original trilogy, Ringu/The Ring, Pulp Fiction

24. Favorite color? gray

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I don’t know that I’ve ever slept on satin sheets

26. Can you whistle? no

27. Where are you now? home

28. Where would you rather be: Savannah, Georgia

29. Favorite food: black bean veggie burgers, mushroom tacos, almost any kind of pasta

30. Least favorite chore? scrubbing the toilet

32. What’s in your pockets? I’m wearing leggings and a t-shirt so, no pockets

33. Last thing that made you laugh ? my dog, Rudy

34. Favorite animal? all of them

35. What’s your most recent injury? I don’t know how I injured them, but my elbow shoulder, back, and sometimes my knees and hips are very painful; well, the knee injury was from playing hockey

36. How many TV’s are in your house? 1

37. Worst pain ever? my right shoulder/upper arm

38. Do you like to dance? I used to, but not so much anymore

39. Are your parents still alive? my dad is

40. Do you enjoy camping? no

Feel free to join in if you like. I found this on I Am My Own Island and Color Me Bipolar

A Difficult Decision

Posted on by Barb
White Cat
Photo credit: Scott Kinmartin on Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND

My first husband and I were divorcing. Between us we had 4 cats, all of whom we adopted together, all of whom would stay with me. After a few months of caring for them, returning to college full-time, and working part-time, it became quickly apparent that I couldn’t take care of them because I had very little money with which to feed them and take them to the vet.

So one day, my ex-husband and I met in the yard of the building in which I lived. We were standing outside, and it was time for me to make a very difficult decision: which 2 cats I was going to keep, and which 2 would go with him. I loved them all equally. Having to decide which 2 to “give away,” was utterly gut-wrenching. I finally decided on Valentine, who was deaf with all white fur, and Phoebe, who was a little, gray tabby. That left Hopper and Basil, a tuxedo cat and a Siamese, both of whom lived to be 17, with me.

I have no doubt that Valentine and Phoebe have crossed the Rainbow Bridge by now. This all happened over 20 years ago. I thought about them from time to time; I still do. Maybe all 4 of them have been reunited and are playing together once again. I’d like to think so.

321 Quote Me! — Knowledge

Posted on by Barb
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Photo by Pixabay

BIG THANKS to Beckie of Beckie’s Mental Mess for choosing me to participate in 321 QUOTE ME!, created by Rory of A Guy Called Bloke.

 

Below are the instructions on how to play along.  Below that, are the quotes that go with the topic of today – Knowledge

321 Quote Me Created by Rory of  A Guy Called Bloke and K9 Doodlepip!

Once a week, Rory will pick a random topic, post two quotes on that topic and nominate 3 bloggers, who in turn will post 2 quotes on the topic and nominate 3 bloggers of their own.

Guidelines: 3.2.1 Quote Me!

  1. Thank the Selector
  2. Post 2 quotes for the dedicated Topic of the Day.
  3. Select 3 bloggers to take part in ‘3.2.1 Quote Me!’

Please Note that Rory will be reblogging your responses unless you wish for him to NOT do so. HERE ARE MY QUOTES:

  1. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
    ― Socrates
  2. “Reading only furnishes the mind with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” ― John Locke

I choose the following bloggers to play along:

What are your favorite quotes about “knowledge?”

No More Electronics

Posted on by Barb

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Photo credit: Mr.[ A7b il7oB }™.. on Visual Hunt / CC BY
Recently, my husband and I stopped using electronics and watching TV while we’re eating. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but the habits are so ingrained in us that it just happens automatically: my phone dings, I check it. If I happen to take a picture (of like, my food) while we’re eating, I immediately post it to Instagram. And then continue eating. Often while we’re having a conversation, something comes up that has to be Googled, and my husband just picks up his phone to Google it.

We have been doing well, thankfully. Sure, one of us slips up now and then, but for the most part, we’re rocking no electronics!

We began doing this because it was presented as a challenge in my weight-loss app. Who doesn’t like a challenge? Also, not using electronics during meals was part of a chapter on eating mindfully, to sort of prepare us for doing just that. Not using electronics while we eat lets us better concentrate on our food, which helps us remain in the present. It’s what mindful eating is about to me, anyway.

We’re encouraged to take a bite, chew slowly, and note the flavors, the textures, how the food feels against our mouths, what it’s like to swallow. It sounds kind of weird, but your relationship with food will change. You’ll appreciate it more. You might even eat less because you’ll feel full from eating slowly. By the way, did you know that putting your fork down after each bite helps you eat slowly?

Finally, a major point in our eating without electronics is that it allows my husband and me to have a conversation instead of vegging in front of the TV. We still eat in the living room, though, but hopefully we will eat at the table again.

Have you heard of mindful eating, or practice eating mindfully? What are your thoughts?

Working on Us, Week 3

Posted on by Barb

On her blog, Beckie of Beckie’s Mental Mess has introduced a set of prompts that touches on mental illness. Each week she offers up 2 prompts for bloggers to use in a nonfiction, fiction, or poetry piece. You can respond to either prompt, or both. For more information and the guidelines, click here. This week, I am going to respond to Prompt 2, a photo prompt.

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Photo from Beckie’s Mental Mess and Pinterest

The rainbow evokes feelings of grief, sadness, and in me. I am reminded of the metaphorical Rainbow Bridge that pets cross once they’ve passed away, to the place where we will all eventually be reunited. Three of our 4 cats have crossed, and when I see pictures of them on Facebook Memories, my heart breaks each time.