In a time of uncertainty

In the past week I learned or maybe relearned some things.  I has been quite eye opening.  This is what the world taught me this week:

• The heart of America is still beating:
• Hundreds of people are sewing protective masks for healthcare workers and first responders.
• A man in Waukegan, Illinois is taking his food truck to long haul truck drivers on the highway to feed them lunch.  The truckers are having a hard time finding places that will accept their rigs and serve them food.  But on a high note I saw that  Texas Roadhouse said some on down.  We will accept your rigs and feed you.
• There is an art studio in Erie, PA that typically offers group and individual art classes.  But because of the government shutdown of all “non-essential” businesses they cannot do that at this time.  So they have put together An Art Class in a box (for a fee) that you can have delivered to your home and continue to learn your art.  We are all trying to feed out families.
• Small business all over the country are trying to find ways to survive.  If you can help out in any small way…donations to Virtual Tip Jars, Direct Donation Accounts, Employee Relief Funds, by buying gift cards, scheduling appointments, shopping their online shops.  We can all do our small part in helping our local small business to stay in business during this crisis.
• That people go to the grocery store to buy things like toilet paper, bread, chips, and ice cream no matter what the upcoming disaster.  Hoarding becomes the norm, not a dirty words as Marie Kondo would have you believe.  Can you hold the 100 rolls of toilet paper and truthfully say that it brings you joy?
• Whether we here in Erie, PA are preparing for the snow storm of the century or an international pandemic, we will have enough toilet paper to serve, not only our family, but anyone who might come to the door and ask to borrow a roll of TP.
• People are all a bit frightened.  How do I know this?  Well they will talk to strangers.  I am one to say hello, nod my head when I pass someone.  But the other day I had conversations that lasted about 5 minutes from people.  I have never seen these people before and I probably will never see them again.  And yes it was so nice to feel the love.

I keep hearing that we are all in this together.  I not only hear it but I see it in all the little things we are doing to help everyone get through the Covid-19 crisis.  I am so proud of all of you.  Stay home, stay safe, stay connected.  Thank you for listening.

Going Back Out into the World

I have always been one to accept what is given to me, good and bad.  I have always been able to accept how my actions have participated in this.  Then I have always been able to dig out of the mess.  But the older I get, the harder it is to find my way back.  About a year and a half ago, I spent 3 weeks in the hospital and 1 week in a rehab facility after open heart surgery.  Since my release from the facilities, it has been a slow process back to whatever normal is now.  This winter was a good excuse for being stagnant, with 120 inches of snow and all.  But now it is spring and summer is closing in fast and I have no more excuses.  It just all seems so daunting.

Since retiring 3 years ago, I have lost touch with who I am.  I do not regret retiring.  I believe it is the best gift I have given to myself.  But in the last year,  maybe year and a half, I have done nothing exciting.  Now with all the medical bills and normal day to day living, I don’t see a chance to do anything exciting soon.

At 65 I am thinking of getting a part-time job, partly to get finances in order and partly to get out and interact with people.  My life right now is boring and unimaginative.  The question now…who will hire a 65 year old woman.  Today, I go online and fill out applications.  Wish me luck.  Back soon.

Life has ideas of it’s own.

When I retired a few years ago, I thought I knew what I wanted in life.  Now I am not so sure.  In August, 2017, I was literally stopped in my tracks.  Taken to the ER with a pain that I never felt before, not even like anything that had been described to me before.  Two or three days later, the rest of the week is a big fog, I was having surgery to repair, no replace one of my heart valves and to stent three arteries.  I am doing well 18 months later, even though I am not the same person who entered the hospital on that day.

I am in the beginning stages of opening an at home business, an Etsy Shop.  I have made jewelry most of my adult life.  Well, not really true, for the past several years it has been stop and go.  My muse seems to have a sense of humor and enjoys the dry periods that I experience.  So what I have been doing is gathering up the throngs of jewelry items I have to get started.  Taking pictures and writing descriptions is the next step.  This is all boring and it takes alot of discipline for me to actually do this.  I have also gather supplies back into one place in case my muse says “Let’s Create”.

Well, I will keep you all posted and take some pictures of my process after my camera is charged.

Homeward Bound

The word Hobo is derived from the words “Homeward Bound”. I have been a hobo for most of my life. I love to travel and to visit places that I have never been before. In my efforts to reduce my footprint and to purge what I can and to save what is important, I have not been able to travel. This is weighing heavily on my heart and soul. I have not seen my grandsons in over a year. I miss them terribly. But right now I have some major obligations that I must take care of before I think about traveling..

 

 

 

My Urban Homestead

I have been reading alot about Urban Homesteading. I am not a country girl by any means. I am a city girl all the way. But getting back to basics is very important to me. I want to be able to be somewhat self-sufficient in many ways. I will be planting organic and heirloom vegetables, both to have for the house and also to share with others. There will not be any animals, frankly because I am not an animal person. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike animals, I just don’t want to take care of them. That job is for someone else.

I am also the Queen of Junk. I can spot a bargin a mile away. Repurposing is important for the future of our planet. I seldom purchase anything new. I like buying and finding stuff that others have discarded. I recently purchased a buffet for my dining room from a consignment shop. I have been looking for one since last Christmas. I have looked online and at all my favorite shops and I finally found one that matches the classic dining room set that I have that belonged to my late husband’s family. It also reminds me of the buffet that my grandmother had. She had a very special place in my heart. She was my hero. This woman had more energy in her 60’s than most of the young people I know. She had a zest for life and she loved movies. We spent many a Satuday Matinee in a movie theatre. Movie theatres have played a big part in most of my life, first with my grandmother, then when I met my husband while working in one.

Sorry, I get off track alot and my mind wanders. Back to my Urban Homestead. The Mother Earth News has always been one of my favorite publications. I recently found them online. The information is still the best out there for living a simple sustainable life. I have downloaded dozens of articles that will guide me on my venture to start in the spring….as soon as the snow decides to melt and the ground finally thaws. Living in the Northeast is sometimes challenging for the gardener. But in the meantime, I am planning my garden, deciding where to put all of the vegetables I plan to plant.

I will keep all of you updated, with pictures, as my journey gets off the ground. I hope you find this as interesting as I do and that we can learn things together. I love sharing ideas with other. Take care for now.

New Beginnings

It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can always start a new phase in your life. For the past several years, I have been in a fog. As parts of my life experiences and loves come to an end, it is time for new things to begin. As I enter into Act 3 of my life: I ponder, Where do I go from here? While I am still not completely sure what life has in store for me, I do know that I still have alot of living to do. I have many ideas going through my head right now, that will eventually unfold. I have to sort through the creavaces of my mind. I have to purge the useless information and save the useful infomation.

One thing I know for sure, it is time to simplify my life. It is time to get rid of all the extra stuff and reduce the clutter, both in my life and in my home. We both need the space to breathe. I have to complete some things that I started and once they are done I will have the freedom to be me. I know this may sound all trite, but it is the best way for me to get back to a full and grateful life.

Gratidude is very important. I have forgetten how to be grateful for all that I have. I have forgotten how to live simply. Excess has taken over my life and my mind. Now is the time to loose the excess.

Time will tell. Can I really become the woman I am meant to be at this stage in my life. I hope you will travel this journey with me. Hippie Woman is buried somewhere deep inside of me. She is screaming to get out.

Good Morning,

This is just an experiment to get me back on track.  I have lost my way a bit and I am looking for my way back to basics. 

When my sons were teens they dubbed me Hippie Woman, probably because of the simple, back to basics way we lived our lives.  I will be back soon to write more about this blog.  I have a meeting to attend and I just don’t have the time right now.  So much for Back to Basics.

See you again soon.