RETIRED?

So everyone is always asking me, "What do you do all day, now that you are retired?".   I always try to answer, "Everything I wanted to do when I was working, but could not fit it in".  I am usually busy from the time I get up until that short time after supper, when I am usually exhausted.  It is great to spend all day with your best friend, I mean Barry, (even though we do spend a lot of time away from each other since he gets up at 10:00 AM and I get up at 5:00 AM - Makes for a great retirement and marriage). I love to improve on my websites and help others build theirs. I have three businesses. ADVOCARE, which proves to be rather productive.  I love learning about nutrition and keeping healthy and helping others do the same. The photography business, which is more of a hobby, also can prove to be productive at times.  I try to exercise daily.  The third business is E-Bay.  Very time consuming, but I love getting bargains and making a profit.  I tote grandkids to school and home almost daily, and available for my "over the river" grandkids to babysit at the drop of a dime.  I love my grandbabies who are all growing up so fast.  I help my big grandson try to find purpose in life, helping him publish his book, and encouraging him to write another.   I enjoy the many luncheons with my past coworkers.  I love the fact that I can sit and relax and read a great book if I want. Spring/Summer time proves to be even busier, with gardening and walking in the woods.  I tried growing herbs last year and dried them.   Camping with family is always fun.  I always try to find a new craft, like the OLIBELLA hand and body scrub, which I still make for friends and family.  My last disaster was the concrete flower bird baths.  The new one that I am interested in hub cap flowers.  (I will post pictures later).  My last endeavor is joining the choir.  I love my choir and church.  The best thing about being retired is that I do not have to do any of the above if I don't want to. 

Check out my grandson's book on Amazon.  "Spilt Inklings"


 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/182-4258838-5711700?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=spilt+inklings

THE CHOIR

So, I must reveal a secret.  I decided to join the choir at church.  This decision had not come by lightly.  About 2 years ago, maybe 3, Barb, the organist asked me to join the choir.  Of course, I declined, because I have been told by many people, mostly my family that I CANNOT SING, and you know, I know I cannot sing, but I can carry a tune…. Mostly off key.  Many months went by, but Barb kept after me to join the choir.   I kept saying no.  Thinking to myself, why would anyone want someone who could not sing, in their choir?  Then she said, you know the only requirement to sing in the choir was to be able to walk up the stairs to the choir loft.  That intrigued me, as I have never been up in the choir loft.  The thought was always on my mind.  I finally took that climb up those steep stairs. Thank goodness there was a banister to hold on to.  Out of breath, and not able to talk, much less able to sing, I found a remarkable kinship and  friendship that I always knew was what the Catholic faith was all about.  I found my church family.  I was welcomed with open arms, thanking me over and over for coming, and I felt almost at home.  I thought to myself, this is not too bad, people cannot see me as the choir loft is in the back up, up, up and away,  and I can always lip sing. 

The first practice, I kept thinking, why are they thanking me?  They have not heard me sing!  Barb, the organist,  said here are some of our books and music  and if you have a keyboard at home, you practice the songs.  WHAT???!!!

I cannot read music!!!  Keyboard.  Oh no! Why did they think I could play or read music.  I CAN ONLY LISTEN TO THE SONG, AND HOPEFULLY REMEMBER WHAT IS SOUNDS LIKE AND THEN MIMIC IT.   I am thinking the only requirements are to walk up the stairs.  I did that, I am in!  I thought BUT  here is the music with all these little squigglies and notes, oh yes I do know they are notes.  Doe, a deer a female deer, and so on.  I am trying to recall, back 50 years when I was in music class in school, to, yes, I remember…… Every Good Boy Deserves Food???, no that is not it…….EGBDF…….Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge or Fun??? Oh well.  FACE……where does that come in?  I do know most of the songs, including some of the latin ones, but I cannot read music. 

I am amazed at how anyone can look at those squiggley notes and know what it should sound like.  Do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do………where do they go??……..on those lines, Oh yes, I remember, called bars. 

So, I am singing in the choir, mostly lip-singing.  Will they ever find out I cannot carry a tune?

Our choir director is AMAZING. So talented, we are so lucky to have someone like him in our little town of Jerseyville, Illinois., …….I know he must know I cannot carry a tune.  But he keeps telling us to belt it out.  ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA….. I am thinking, can he hear this voice. My voice…….He must. 

I am in awe at anyone who can read music, play music, sing music by following those notes on the bars with the squigglies on them.  It is a different language.  The music is in my soul, but that is it.  My vocal cords do not know what to do with all those notes. 

This is an ongoing story.  We are practicing for Christmas.  Maybe I should try to learn to read music at my old age, I am just thinking.  Can this old dog learn new tricks? 

ADVOCARE

http://www.loseweightafter50.info/

After using AdvoCare products for 4 years now, I truly believe that I am younger.  I feel younger.  I look younger.  After retirement, I am free now to do the things I want to do and the things I love to do.  I would not be able to do anything if I did not feel as amazing as I do.  I attribute it using the AdvoCare products.  I am hooked for life!

One Door Away From Heaven

I just finished the book, "One Door Away From Heaven", by Dean Koontz.  It took me forever to finish.  I did get two great quotes from this book so I decided to blog about it.  The first is....."The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the the faith to believe it is possible."

The other one is for all dog lovers......

"Every world has dogs or their equivalent, creatures that thrive on companionship, creatures that are of a high order of intelligence although not of the highest, and therefore are simple enough in their wants and needs to remain innocent.  The combination of their innocence and their intelligence allows them to serve as a bridge between what is transient and what is eternal, between the finite and the infinite."

I love all animals, but our dogs are so special. 

Christmas 2011

I did experiment on my family this Christmas.  I have an attic full of Christmas decorations.  I limited them to a Christmas tree, nativity set, 1 snowman and a door wreath.  I usually put out many snow globes, wind up this and thats, miniature trains, miniature trees, angels, snowmen, snow houses, lights, and on, and on, and on.   It did prove one thing.  It did not matter what was in the house but who was in the house.  Lots of love and fun.  This grandma (Memaw) is very happy this year.  I do not have to put much away!