Two Hops & A Crash

My husband told me the other day, "I try to put my pants on now, and it's 2 hops and a crash".  Life after 50 is something else.  

You hear all the sayings growing up.  "Take care of your body", "Everything falls apart after 50"...blah, blah.

Except now, I'm 49, and knocking on 50's large imposing door.  Stuff hurts that didn't used to.  

I guess today I'm in a somber mood.  My 10 year old thinks she's 30.  My husband thinks she likes me more than him.  Bills are getting to me.  I can't get enough done.  Whatever, right?

Another big issue in life is what to do with chronic pain.  My husband is a sufferer of this, and it makes life extremely hard on him.  Unless you live with it everyday (or watch someone who does), it seems no one understands.  Not the doctors, family, friends, anyone.  He's only 55, and lives with severe arthritis in pretty much all his major joints, mostly from overuse in his younger days.  

I respect the amount of work he has done in his life.  But now, for him, life revolves around what hurts each day.  Chronic pain can take over your life.  It's hard to admit to yourself you're not what you once were. 

It takes a mental toll on everyone, you don't know where the middle ground is most days.  Then you throw in kids, attitudes, menopause.  Wow, somedays I don't know what to do, or can I do anything right.  

It makes your heart hurt to watch, and know you can't do more than be empathetic, and try to help.  

So,  I encourage you to tell the people in your life that are younger to not abuse your body.  They're like cars, and you only get the one you have.  Turns out the "old people" in my life did know what they're talking about.  Now that I'm old, I'm passing this info along to you, and I tell my child, and anyone that will listen. I tell my kid, you may have a Ferrari right now, but you get to keep that car hopefully for a very long time, with no option to trade it in.  They all fall apart if you don't take care of them.

Random Musings As To Why I Can't Get Things Done...

I thought maybe if I treated my blog as a type of journal, I might see patterns in why I don't as much done in a day as I'd like. 

1. Get up, answer 15 questions from my 10 year old before a cup of coffee.  
2. See two nesting hawks in the yard, (very cool by the way).  Kid says I cannot go outside until Dad comes to see the hawks. 
3. Moved on the packaging since the USPS closes at 12 pm.  
4. Feed cats, and pig.  Go ask chickens why they haven't laid any eggs.
5. Put away grocery delivery.  Weightlifting done.  Well, until I do laundry.
6. Family not making a move to leave, so I drive to the post office.
7. Did you brush your teeth???
8. Come home, throw about 50 lbs. of laundry around. Déjà vu runs rampant in this house.
9. Must sit and watch the rest of Avatar.   I've never seen it.  I liked the blue people.
10. Wash dishes.  
11. Force family to eat lunch.  I've got to make more bread.
12. Wash next 25 lbs. of laundry.
13. Sweep, and see all the spiderwebs from the lovely house spiders we have.
14. Work on listings for a while.  Get stuck sharing on Poshmark.
15. Argue with child about screen time.  And boredom, and how I can give out the old saying "I'll give you something to do if you're bored. And snacks.  And brushing teeth and hair. Every day.
16. Played pool on the pool table; good way to teach the child about geometry (games are great for home schooling).  You got to catch those teachable moments.
17. Make another pot of coffee so I can have the energy to work on the listings.
18. Husband is bored, what do I want to do now since I sat down to work on listings.
19. What to make for dinner that will have the family jumping for joy.
20. Continue drinking the coffee.  
21. Feed the chickens, cats and pig.  Yell about responsibility helping feed the animals. Talk to the pig for a minute.
22. Eat the wonderful (not) dinner. Vegan by the way, this doesn't help with new recipes.
23. Put away clean dishes.  Fill sink back up with dirty dinner dishes.  Déjà vu again. 
24. Try to think of ways to be more productive.  
25. Look at Pinterest for creative ideas.  Feel less productive.
26. Guilting of tripping on my phone.  Worry about the state of affairs in the world right now.
27. Realize I'm having an anxiety attack, mostly from coffee.  
28. Need to do more listings, too tired.
29. Worry about why my stuff isn't selling.  Did the internet die?
30. Work on this blog.
31. It's 6:52 pm, EST.

And this is Saturday in a nutshell as of this moment.  Here is a shameless plug for one of those creative productions I have produced this week:

It's for sale on Etsy:  https://jjrizzo.etsy.com/listing/1859888600/fossil-rhombus-statement-silvercustom

So, I haven't written about our Kune Kune pig before.  He's a runaway stray pig we found on our front yard about 3 years ago.  He's black and white, with teats on his face, and is a sweet loving pig.  We're so glad he came into our lives.  Not many can say they have a stray pig, let alone a Kune Kune.  And, he has a heart on his side.  

His name, Heavy D, short for Heavy Duty.  He's grown to about 250 pounds, and he loves his belly rubs, and snacks.  Loves some snack.  Heavy is very smart, he can sit, and miraculously, stand up on his back legs.   But the treat has to be very good for that one!

Heavy's story is funny one.  One day I was walking down our little road on my way to the chicken coop to check on the girls for the night.  I look over to my left, and there is this dog sort of thing eating.  I stood there for a second, looked away, looked back.  It's a pig!  He's only a youngster, maybe 2 months old.  

You do not run after a pig to catch it.  You need snacks, good snacks.  He'd taken up residence beside our chicken coop, kind of in the bushes.  But he was very sneaky about it.  

So, a few days of snacks later, he decided to trust us.  We led him to our old sheep house/shed, currently unoccupied.  He moved in and never looked back. 

This is about 3 years ago....

This is now!

Dear Diary 1/19/23

This week I've been super busy trying to rein in our spending on food.  It's been difficult.  I love protein bars.  They are expensive!  

So, I've been making the expensive granola, homemade breads, precooked beans, rice.   Mostly I've frozen a lot of it.  Dinners have been made from these items this week.  The biggest hit I believe was the giant pretzels.  Those were awesome.  The real trick is dunking them in boiling hot baking soda water before baking.  

Tonight, will be precooked wild rice with some vegetables of some sort.   I kind of got to where I hated cooking for a while, especially since the pandemic panic has went down.  

I like old cookbooks, they are fun to look at. Especially with some of the things said about women.  

This one, had a section about the drudgery of cooking over open fire.  It’s from 1935.  Another challenge is finding an appetizing recipe in some of these books!

I did try a chocolate chip cookie recipe from a Better Homes & Gardens Cookie Cookbook circa 1975.  They turned out yummy!  They look very ugly, but they will eat, the 8 year old test subject approved.  Only honest pictures here.  

Homeschool Isn’t for Kids!

Dear Diary,

Today was a typical homeschooling day. Have some nonsensical arguments with my sweet 8 year old, say “why are you up?” 15 times, getting asked for snacks twice as much.

And then you will get the reward, when you see lightbulb go off in their head.  And don’t forget, they get bored with any curriculum quick (at least mine does). They will hate things, then months later, like it.

I’m not trying to scare anyone off homeschool, but this has challenged me more than any job, exercise routine, whatever.  

But, you get the joy of being there for every day.  I know what she’s eating.  I can get all the hugs I want. I know exactly where she’s lagging behind. 

Thank God for lunchtime, I can squeeze in a workout.  Check out Melissa Bender sometime.

After lunch we made homemade granola, tortillas, and frozen chocolate bananas.  Cooking teaches ELA, math, and science. I love real world subjects that teach a lot of subjects in one.  I get some things done at the same time.

Dinner is always a searching mission. We are vegetarian (besides some cheese and eggs).  And reinventing the wheel on a good vegan cheese recipe.  Sometimes it’s just a sandwich.  We don’t eat out much anymore, most places don’t taste that good anymore.  

I am really trying to make an effort to reduce grocery spending.  Like everyone else.   Good thing we have laying chickens.  I love eggs.  We also have a Kune Kune pig named Heavy D (D for Duty).  He thinks he’s a dog.  And he’s part bulldozer. 

It’s time to try to relax and think of something I can crochet.  The stuff is addictive, especially if you can’t stay still.   And TV just doesn’t cut it most days.  

Tomorrow is Saturday. Hopefully I can get to the flea market this weekend.

 

I Haven't Blogged In Six Years!

My life has changed tremendously in the last six years, since my last blog post.  I'm now 46, with an eight-year-old daughter, homeschooling, working from home, raising chickens, a Kune Kune pig, Turkish Kangals, and the list goes on.  I'm a jack of all trades, and master of none!

I decided to stay at home with my daughter, and the plan was to let her go through elementary school, then start homeschooling.  Then my husband had several health issues/surgeries, Covid hit, shootings all over the place.  AHHHHHH!!!!

My two years of homeschooling have made me have the biggest respect for teachers.  A lot of bloggers make homeschooling sound great, loving and wonderful.  It can be, other days I'm ready to run away.  We are off for the summer now, but I'm already gearing up for 3rd grade curriculum.

I'm an eBay, Etsy, and Poshmark seller.  I refurbish watches, deal in vintage/antique items of all kinds.  My home looks like an antique/vintage store.  Poppin' tags as they say, if the kids still say that.  I quit my work at home job with a major window manufacturer, after they decided to scale down.  

That's when my eBay side hustle turned into go or blow time.  I had to; my husband went into early retirement.  Two hip replacements, a heart valve surgery, back issues, needing shoulder surgery.  Every day is a struggle for him, and he's only 53 years old.  That's what being a race car driver and working on a pit crew for NASCAR will do to your body.  

Blogging may not be another hobby I need to take on right now, but I'm one of those people who always needs something to do.  Maybe I can give a little hope to someone who wants to be an online seller, or a beginning homeschool parent, or collecting Pyrex, crocheting, art, watch repair. 

That's one thing I have to say is wrong with society these days, is making life look so easy and great on social media.   Life is hard some days, but that makes you appreciate the good days.   I had days recently where I didn't know if I'm cut out for homeschooling, then Texas happened.  I decided then I may be crazy by the time she graduates, but that's the sacrifice I'm going to make to keep her safe.  I don't sugar coat anything with her, and paint pictures that won't happen in life.  

Peacock Brooch

Monet Brooch

Ecclissi Sterling Silver Watch

Antique Butter Press

Kune Kune Pig, aka Heavy D

New Jersey Black Giant Chickens | Farm Raised With P. Allen Smith

Pulling Weeds

This morning as I pulled weeds out of my garden and was cursing the devil grass growing in it, I remembered when I was young pulling weeds out of my Dad's garden and how bad I hated it. It would be the middle of summer, and to me at the time it was like child abuse!
Now it's like therapy to me to be out early in the morning taking care of my own garden, and wondering how long I have with my own child before she is cursing me for ruining her day.

Our nephew is just 12 and is already so lazy it's not even funny.  Video games are not good for a child's well being.

Now that I'm at home, these seemingly menial tasks are now what keeps me going.  There is something about getting outside and getting dirty that is good for my mind.  Pulling weeds reminds me to keep the weeds pulled out of my life and do my best for my family and most of all God.   He gave His life for us that we can live a better life.

Where Have I Been?

Funny, but I just realized it's been two years since I have posted to this blog.  I guess I'd been in a bit of a funk with a lot of in-law problems and wasn't feeling very cheerful about life.  I was in a very bad movie with even worse actors.
In a funny twist of fate, God decided to bless us with a beautiful little girl last July.  Now I'm a stay at home mom, at the ripe old age of 39.  With about 45 chickens, a ewe sheep, three large dogs, and a cat.
I waited a very long time to have a child.  We decided to just see if it would happen, and it did.   That was one of the best times of my life, especially after the bomb going off with the in-lords (husband coined that term).  Then guess what, more in-lords showed up, and I started my battle with postpartum depression.  There, I said it.
With all the new people around to take care of, the animals, a garden, home, breast feeding issues, I found myself just going deeper and deeper.  Your husband can't understand why you're not happy when he's taking care of you.  I'm not a fan of pharmaceuticals, but I had to get help.   I felt ashamed with my Bible belt upbringing I couldn't just pray it away, and try everything but what's going to start helping make it go away.
Some hard to face facts about having a baby I wasn't prepared for:

1. Sleep deprivation
2. Being at home all the time
3. Loss of freedom
4. Flabbiness and your family's ability to point it out after only 6 weeks of having the baby.
5. Breastfeeding hurt like a mother!

I'm not trying to scare anyone, but they're a reality.  And all the reading I'd done couldn't prepare me for the fact all babies are individuals, they don't come with a book.  I wish some people would have prepared me a little, but they will tell you later they didn't want to scare you.

I guess I need to write these things down for myself, and maybe it will even help my daughter one day to know to speak up for herself.  I'm not very good at that.  Postpartum depression is a serious matter I wish wasn't happening to me.

The First Columbine Plant!

This is my first successful attempt at growing a columbine plant!

The Way of Life

Recently a dear family friend of ours passed away.  It reminded me once again how people in your life are placed there for a reason, and you do not see the reason immediately.

Sometimes there are people who come into your life, and wonder why is God allowing them to be in our lives.  All you can do is ask for strength and not be in a hurry, and not let the ill will of others change us into the same thing we hate. We all need to appreciate everyday we have, and enjoy the people we love. 

Our friend lost her best friend and husband of 50 years.  I hope I get that and forever.

Louis Vuitton .....or is it?

It appears I've been had on a used Louis Vuitton. I found it at the local Salvation Army, and even found one on eBay like it. So I posted it, and eBay took the listing down, with no real clear reason.
Guess it's mine now, and if it is a fake, oh well. Lessons learned. But it's a good fake, even if its a little used.

Instant Relatives

I like these kind of instant relatives you find at auction. They are silent and agree with all you say. But they also seem to watch you. That's why ours live in a box until they take a ride to where ever there new home is.

These are popular on eBay for the vintage frames.
They are also a b to package! Thanks to my wonderful Bug for all you do. He is a master box maker.

eBay at Christmas; I May Lose My Mind

Thankfully, eBay is crazy around the holidays. I may be nuts by January or blind from staring at a computer all day long. I sit at work and worry about eBay, I have a back and neck ache, I know what the real meaning of death by 1000 paper cuts means now. In my case it's death by tape gun. They do bite!
I have been a very bad blogger as of late. Too busy all the time. The Pyrex collection is huge. All of it won't fit in the cabinet. But I still want it all. In this area at auction it's going really high, most of the time more than its really worth.

Fly home, sweet Roxy

On 11/23/12, we lost the best, most loving Rottweiler in the world, Roxy. She was an amazing dog, and my best girlfriend.
We had to let her go. Time is a cruel master, but she's at God's feet now and suffers no more. She can play with Buster once again.
We'll see you again one day!

Vineandbranchstudio on Etsy

You neeeed to visit Vineandbranchstudio on Etsy! She makes the coolest accessories for your I-phone, I-pad, or a reader. I got mine today, and I'm so happy with it!

Does your kitchen look like this?

This is after a weekend of auction, and flea market hunting, of what my kitchen looks like! Pyrex and all!

EBay is sooooo slllooooowww!

As an eBay seller, this past month has been bad for sales, like fell off a cliff, and why am I doing this!
I'm hoping it's just school starting back or elections. I've read on eBay discussion boards a lot of sellers are experiencing this as well. Patience is a virtue!

My Bug, the Woodcarver

My Bug has ventured into the world of chainsaw carving, and has started on an Easter Island Moai Head carving.  He made is own version of a handheld, air-powered chainsaw that looks pretty mean.

My part will be decoration.  We hope to have a collection of these we can line up below our garden.  Pretty weird, but I like it!

English Pyrex Birthday!

Bug is the wild Pyrex hunter! He found a set of Pyrex made in England for my b-day! I'm going to have to find another cabinet!