It’s been a weird few months. It started with the job I have..or rather had. Back in November I was hired at a State Hospital in the Scheduling office—scheduling nurses for duty. All I’m going to say is that it was incredibly challenging. Although the job itself was easy, there were factors I shall not discuss that made the job stressful.
Although those jackets are no longer used, sometimes I felt as though I needed one!
Anyway, an opportunity arose within the hospital that is more conducive to my skills set, I applied and got it. Happily, I start tomorrow.
I’m so happy to have my own space again and work that I’ve always done!
OK, now that’s out of the way….
I had a bad health scare. In February I had my annual mammogram which came back questionable. I had to have an ultrasound—and for two weeks my life was a mess of depression and gloom—especially given the fact, I always think of the worst. However, all was well and my spirits lifted until…..
My brain and emotional health was spinning. Thank God, all was well!
I had my skin check. In all honesty, it’s stressful because last August I had surgery on my calf, it became infected and now I have the most adorable scar…..
Take a good look. That dark spot was a lot worse. My skin is in good shape for now..I’ll be living on sunscreen all summer. Maybe I should drink it to ward off any skin issues that may sink into my organs!
Now, I’m waiting to schedule my routine colostomy in August. I’m very stressed because I have had polyps removed in the past.
I’ll load up on trashy magazines whilst prepping. The trash will be at both ends!
My life, as I age, is nothing more than the stress and angst of medical testing.
Just wait till this scrub gets old!
OK, now that that’s out of the way…. Wait. It sort of isn’t…
My birthday was last month. I turned 69 years. And while I am thankful and feeling privileged that I did make it this far, I can’t help but think how turning old is scary in the sense that my mortality isn’t going to be forever. I mean, when my grandchildren are the age I am now, I’ll be ashes. Not even ashy or an ash blonde. I will literally be ashes. I am wondering if I can have a caveat in my will that the local parish can use my ashes on Ash Wednesday so I can be slightly immortal—at least for the 24 hours until the ashes are washed away.
From my face when the only wrinkle was in the photograph’s paper..to my early 40’s when I thought I was “old”…to now.
….with fake hair to hide my baldness –is this the same person? LOL!
All joking aside, I had a lovely birthday. The Frenchman surprised me with a weekend in New York City where we hit both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.
A vision of beauty..
The best hot dogs on earth. I don’t need a grill–just a tin of dirty hot dog water to cook those links!
I love this portrait of Tallyrand. Did you know that Napoleon called Tallyrand “Shit in silk stockings”? Well, he was!
These days I’m finding Asian art wonderfully calming!
Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup cans was almost classical art compared to…
…this. A melange of stuffed animals. Although I don’t really consider it great art, it was fun to look at!
Then he surprised me with a longer stay in France this summer. Getting the time off from work for that visit has been a fiasco but I am here to tell you that I will be enjoying my time.
The books are at the ready.
My vacation reads: The book on Nick Drake is the one I am really wanting to read. He’s my favorite folk/British/singer. His ending was tragic and heartbreaking but I strongly listening to his music. It’s beautiful. I despised The Scarlet Letter but Hawthorne’s House of Seven Gables seems interesting. Alexander Dumas is my favorite author so I’m looking forward to The Black Tulip. I’m still sad about Richard Lewis so I’ll be sinking my eyes into his book. After the Romanovs and I Was Anastasia will sate my thirst for the Romanov family and The Wife is by one of my favorite author’s daughter.
And I realized I was feeling much better when my daughter called to ask me for:
- A photo of her when she played Tee-ball because she and Sam signed my grandson up to play.
- Her Confirmation Certificate because she was to be a godmother and needed proof of her Confirmation
I’m still amazed I found these. LOL. I would have searched all day for anything my daughter needs!
This was the boost that gave me my sense of purpose back. Deep in the bowels of tubs in the closet under the stairs, I pulled each heavy plastic tub out. And I went through every one of them. I found some great stuff too!
It was a treasure trove. And yes, that white thing to the left is an UNUSED doggie diaper from my beloved Ruby’s last days. I save everything.
Lo and behold at the very last tub, just about when I was about to give up and thought my luck ran out, I said a little prayer to Saint Ant’ny. I found both.
This guy finds everything. Everything except 40 euros I stashed in a safe place three years ago. I thnk he came when I was sleeping, took the euros and used them as a donation for the Church.
I’m sure this episode but the thought in my daughter’s head to go buy some tubs and start loading them with everything the boys will do from today up to their college days! It’s so funny because I wasn’t annoyed at all. I was so happy that one of my kids actually needed me for something. It really snapped me out of my slump!
I started curating the clothing I’m going to wear.
I love the wide leg pants. My husband hates them. I am wearing them, not him. The linen blend pants don’t hide my gut and I don’t care.
A few dresses I’ll bring because it gets hot there.
Two more dresses. The one on the left is from a few years ago. The one on the right won’t be packed because it’s too heavy!
Naturally, I’ll pack wigs!
I’ll be packing my Rondini sandals and will be happy to purchase a new pair!
And I am looking very forward to our relaxing trip.
Ohhhh. And another thing—I started to wear less makeup on my face. The reason for this is basically I’m so sickened by the Beauty industry allowing the false advertising of influencers both young AND old. Yes—influencers over a certain age, I’m talking to YOU. Stop with the filters on your old and wrinkled face. You are a hypocrite. You lie. You are ashamed to age. Show us your nose that has been all but eliminated due to filtering. Show us your skin texture and lines. Let us see your redness!
I would rather showcase my age with less makeup then pay the beauty industry to pay the false advertising of influencers–both young and old!
It is sad because the cosmetics companies know full-well of this deception yet they allow it so I am showing off my age! It is not bad at all.
Due to all the above, I just didn’t feel like writing. It was a mix of not having anything to say for a while. It was a lack of passion.
Now the passion is back and I have a lot to say!!
No pressure because I’m looking forward to writing again!
Thank you for sticking by while I had my time off!