Confessions of a Grandma

It was Florida winter today!    This is the third Thursday in a row that has been cold, but today was the coldest.  It was cold and rainy so that the damp just settled in the bones.  I am aware of the Thursday pattern because it is the day I spend working in the Literacy Program at InStride. The Literacy Program is a shared grant between InStride Therapy and area schools.  A group (30 to 35 kids with teachers and parent chaperones) arrives.  There are four stations set up that teach the  kids about the horses and their care while reinforcing basic academic skills. The first two times I worked with the arts and crafts station.  The kids made a decorated book mark, put together a horse puzzle, and did a reading/writing activity.  Today I helped in the arena station where my job was to have the kids scoop horse poop--really plastic golf balls tossed around the sand.  They scooped with a scoop/rake tool and we did adding/subtracting prob...

Well my meatless Monday came in handy last night!  Oatmeal that just slid down without the need for chewing.  Yogurt for breakfast and a mashed potato for lunch.  Tonight I making some tomato soup in the crock pot.  My face is pretty swollen on the left side.  It is actually easier to see using my smashed up glasses because they adjust better to the asymmetry.  Tylenol seems to be taking care of the aches and pains though.  The pharmacist recommended Tylenol because of my blood pressure medication and I am just happy that I don't feel the need for the strong stuff. The purple is now a big circle around my left eye so eye shadow is not going to be of much help.  My lip is actually black and blue.  Hard to believe that some starlets actually pay money to get this bee-sting effect. It's quite annoying. I divided up my orchid bouquet and have been enjoying flowers in every room.  As many pointed out, Radiant Orchid is the Pantone Color o...

I have signed up at the local YMCA, only about a mile from my house here, and I have started taking the beginner yoga classes.  I am really enjoying it very much--four classes under my belt so far.  Flexibility has never been my strength, but I can already feel a small difference and I am definitely more aware of my posture. They say that yoga is good for blood pressure and insomnia.  I really would be happy to find that to be true. My other "keep busy" tactic is to find a volunteer opportunity while I am in Florida.  I thought about the library since that is what I do at home, but then I found this place .  I went to a volunteer orientation today.  It is not far away although it is a little tricky to get there (Thank God for GPS!).  It is a very cool place.  I don't know what I will be asked to do.  I know it is a little mean spirited, but I do kind of hope that they give the shovel-horse-manure jobs to those who are court ordered to ...

My back wasn't quite as ready as the rest of me to be out digging in the garden the other day. Oof. I went off to get a pedicure at the mall this morning--along with every other retired woman in the county.  The wait was too long for me so I went shopping for some new bath towels and two new bed pillows.  Now I will just have to figure out a way to switch out Mike's nasty old stained pillow for the new one.  He is not so big on changes.  When I need to mess with him, I amuse myself by moving the couch and chairs away form the wall.  It never takes him more than a minute to start pushing everything back.  I guess he thinks I move things to sweep and then forget to put them back. So I don't have shiny toe nails, but my refrigerator is sparkling clean.  That makes me happy.  It's a true gift to get pleasure from the little things. I spent the afternoon at the library.  I volunteered to clean and organize the upstairs activity room a...