Cancer Survivor, writing about Health and Fitness as you age

Today is Earth Day, so what am I doing about it? Well, now that it is getting warmer and sunnier here in Austin, I decided I needed to get me a clothes line. I now have that, but the forecast is rain for the next few days and not really any good clothes-drying weather.  But anyway, it got me to thinking about all the hype about the ability of an individual to effect change. I got seriously afraid that this whole effort is akin to how my husband views our budget: "Honey, it's not the $15 we spent on McDonalds that's the problem - it's the big things."  Ok, I may have ahem...underestimated the spending on those particular food items, but the point is the same.  Can I, as a person, really make a change in the overall prognosis for Earth? Are the small changes I am making good and beneficial, but at the end of the day not significant enough, because it is the bigger fish (whole industries, companies, governments), that would truly make an impact? I was listeni...

Usually shopping with Liam consists of following behind him and putting back whatever he picks up, or taking things out of his hands. Sometimes, it is entertaining, as long as I don't plan on getting any shopping done.  Like a recent trip to get towels.   I take a quick look at Liam and there he is trying to figure out how to put on a yellow and black, polka-dot halter-top bikini. Hmmm.. we're not in the main aisle, so noone can really see him. I'll just let him play for a bit, so I can look around. I look back.  Oh my, he's got the neck under one arm and one of the cups on his shoulder.  That's funny! I look at the bottoms that go with the tunic top I've been looking at.  Oh good grief! Pull-on, elastic-waist pants?! I need to get a life! We move on to towels after he gets tired playing around with the bikini top. " You have to come down from there." "Why?" "Well this isn't a playground. These shelves aren't f...

Some time ago I had blogged about the headache of what to do with roadside beggars.  Do I give something to them or not? ( children-makes-my-head-hurt ) In the end we found something that works for us. A friend of ours is involved in charity work and suggested we prepare some gallon bags of stuff that might be useful for a homeless person and then give those out in lieu of money.  It worked great! I got my little helpers involved and got quite a few bags ready, so my husband and I each  have a couple of bags in the car that we can hand out at anytime.  The items have to have a long shelf life and should be able to withstand the temperatures of your environment. Here's what we put: 2 nutrigrain or granola bars 2 bags of cookies 2 bags of Chips 2 juice boxes 1 pair of socks You can change it up and put raisins, individual boxed cereals, pop tarts, crispy treats, etc. Some folks also include a small gift card redeemable only at the grocery (<$10). ...

I go to a chain shop to get my hair cut  - when I stop wearing my hair in a pony-tail or up in a clip, I'll graduate to a "salon".  But anyway, I overheard one of the hairdressers saying to a customer, "I am showing you these products because I have to."  Apparently, they are required to display and sell different hair care products to their customers, including their own brand. By contrast, the guy who was trimming my hair had a bit more finesse. "You have beautiful hair."  For my age? Because is still mostly on my head?  Because I know my hair is not particularly lustrous. "What kind of shampoo do you use?" "Pantene" "That's a good product,"   Smart, he didn't want to suggest that I made a poor choice in my existing shampoo. "..but it is not a salon brand." Ahhh...the implication was clear. "Your hair is a little dry, but if you want to upgrade, you should try one of ours."  Up...

Most recently, it is because they boxed me in where I was parked at the Science Center in Austin. So there were cars all around me and just enough space for my car to squeeze through the space between the 2 cars parked to my right, facing each other, provided I had another driver to watch me come out because it was so close. Did I mention it was lunch time, and I had the 2 kids and we'd already spent almost 2 hours at the Science Center?  I'll let you think about that a moment.  My blood pressure went up when I saw what had happened.  It goes without saying that I wanted to cry.  Why would I think women drivers were involved? Well...I think only a woman would not notice that I would be boxed in and then park right in front of me so I couldn't get out.  Oblivious is what I call it. In addition, they get on their cell phones as they are backing out of a parking lot. Me - I am terrified I hit something or worse, someone's child, so a parking lot is the one pl...

I've previously blogged about my state trying to find a group of girlfriends here in Austin , so I thought I'd provide an update on my quest to surround myself with peeps who are actually available to go to the neighbourhood coffee shop and sit down and chat.  Well, I had made friends with another mom whose son had just started at Lucas' new school.  We would try to have a chat, without children, once a week. Well, they decided to move to Utah after the first term.  Another mom I met through my mom's group who I would meet up separately with and actually have a conversation about what is going on in life, moved too. Not out of state, but far enough where I can't meet her for coffee either.  Hmmmmm. So, my plan has been to crash other peoples' socials.  I went to a playgroup I didn't belong to but was being hosted by a neighbour, that worked out just great!  A little social time, play time for Liam.  I invited another neighbour out to see a movie...on...

Or in basic Trini: "Good t'ing no cheap, cheap t'ing no good". I was reminded of this recently when Lucas showed me his language homework, "Mama wears a swetter every day."  Aside from him telling his class that his Mama is perpetually cold, it would have been even more accurate to say, "Mama wears the same swetter every day". (Thank goodness he's a boy and doesn't notice these things.)  You see it's because I got this really cheap sweater that I like, it keeps me very warm and because it was so cheap I don't care when Liam spills substances which will remain unnamed on it (or in my case, I spill drops of bleach). Hence, ironically, I save my most expensive stuff to wear infrequently (and then it goes out of style, it can't fit anymore or my tastes change), but by golly those cheap things in my closet - boy do they get a workout!  As it turns out, cheap is good in this context. So in conclusion, I will continue to wear my...