Summer is over
Here I sit, reflecting on the summer and dreading the winter. I don't do well when the days get shorter and the weather gets cool. I just want to stay in and vegetate. Which is not good for me as I get depressed - SAD - seasonal affective disorder.
The summer was okay overall. I enjoyed seeing Cevyn, my friends and even a few of my family members when I was in Thunder Bay. I really liked our short trip to British Columbia to meet my classmates and visit with our friends at their lake house. The hilite of course was our visit with Cevynl
The cookbook is done. It was frustrating. It would have been easier if I was computer literate! I excel at losing things on the computer - I envision little gremlins in it saying "Let's hide these ones!" But it is done now and I am relieved.
For the last few weeks I have been very sluggish. I wasn't walking or doing much of anything and getting more depressed. Perhaps I was rebelling at the thought of turning 70. My back was beginning to get really sore so I had to pull up the big girl pants and get going. I have been walking and feel better. Today it was drizzling but I decided not to be a wimp and I quite enjoyed the walk - I did 4 or 5 miles. Tonight I went to yoga. Wow, have I ever lost my flexibility and balance! Luckily the instructor is a patient gentle man. The class is free at the next door condo. We are very lucky as he is a skilled teacher. He is very spiritual and at the end of the class the relaxation is amazing.
These ups and downs can get monotonous. I never know what my day is going to be like; whether I will be energetic, depressed, anxious etc. It is life and mostly, life is good.
Lisa: I felt you with me tonight at yoga. I could here you saying "go for it Mom. You can do it". Even though at times I felt like a beached whale! Your beautiful daughter seems to be doing well. You would be so very very proud of her. I miss you always and love you forever, Mummy
The summer was okay overall. I enjoyed seeing Cevyn, my friends and even a few of my family members when I was in Thunder Bay. I really liked our short trip to British Columbia to meet my classmates and visit with our friends at their lake house. The hilite of course was our visit with Cevynl
The cookbook is done. It was frustrating. It would have been easier if I was computer literate! I excel at losing things on the computer - I envision little gremlins in it saying "Let's hide these ones!" But it is done now and I am relieved.
For the last few weeks I have been very sluggish. I wasn't walking or doing much of anything and getting more depressed. Perhaps I was rebelling at the thought of turning 70. My back was beginning to get really sore so I had to pull up the big girl pants and get going. I have been walking and feel better. Today it was drizzling but I decided not to be a wimp and I quite enjoyed the walk - I did 4 or 5 miles. Tonight I went to yoga. Wow, have I ever lost my flexibility and balance! Luckily the instructor is a patient gentle man. The class is free at the next door condo. We are very lucky as he is a skilled teacher. He is very spiritual and at the end of the class the relaxation is amazing.
These ups and downs can get monotonous. I never know what my day is going to be like; whether I will be energetic, depressed, anxious etc. It is life and mostly, life is good.
Lisa: I felt you with me tonight at yoga. I could here you saying "go for it Mom. You can do it". Even though at times I felt like a beached whale! Your beautiful daughter seems to be doing well. You would be so very very proud of her. I miss you always and love you forever, Mummy
Replies
I am just the opposite, I love winter, but the hot summers make me very depressed. You are so motivated, going for walks and doing yoga!
Warm hugs! xxx
Hope you start perking up Marlene. Being fatigued sucks. I was having a bad problem with exhaustion and plan lifelessness and now that I\'m taking B12 shoots and taking Vit D I\'m doing a lot better. Maybe it\'s time to get the blood work checked?
I so agree with this journal Marlene. I have a hard time in the heat so the summer was difficult in accomplishing anything. I feel so much better when I can get a project done. I hope this autumn will speed up my house cleaning. ha ha!!! I love that idea of walking and hope to start at least a few times a week. Yoga is so calming I think I would love it but I am really just afraid to try. Peace as we continue to navigate this journey. Hugs!!!!
I\'m with you when winter hits - even though southern California winters are mild, the time change is what I hate....dark @ 5....all I want to do is sit on the couch and eat bon-bons....(good thing we aren\'t neighbors - lol) I applaud you for walking & doing yoga.....if it makes us feel better, why don\'t we want to do it? I can never figure that one out......
The ups & downs of life is so a norm now - SIGH. So glad you spent time with Cevyn - seeing our grandchildren do so well just makes me miss Jennifer more. I know Lisa & Jennifer are so proud of their kids...:)
Sending a hug to you today (((((hug)))) Vicki
Oh Marlene, I am feeling the onset of SAD too. Today it is cloudy and very dim. Thank you for doing the cookbook and I am sorry it was such an ordeal. I am happy for you that it is done. I walk 4-5 miles most every day but will be having bunion surgery soon which will put me on my duff for the next 3 months. After that I hope to start yoga and walking when the weather permits or perhaps just take the dogs to the stores that allow dogs and walk there. There are a couple stores like Home Depot and Lowes that are quite large that do allow dogs. I am so glad you did get some time with Cevyn.
Sending love,
Leda
Feels like the ebbs and flows of life and even some moments of pause which are vital. How wonderful to have the ability to do the yoga and a metaphor too for life of continuing to be bend with what comes one\'s way... Way to go with your walking and I adore to walk and do it almost daily. I think it\'s the one way I\'ve gotten to know more of my neighbors and learn about my island home. :)
Thank you for your efforts with the cookbook and I\'m SO excited to see it and to try some of our children\'s favorites!
Gentle care as you move into the winter season dearest Marlene and know that no matter what the season is your love for your Lisa IS a constant. I remember Doug getting so excited this time of year for the \"white stuff\" as he called it to go snow boarding in.
Thinking of you and your darling Lisa and I have no doubt she has a very careful and watchful eye out on her family.
Loving care,
XO Joanie
Sorry, you havn\'t been feeling well. I am sluggish most of the time. I am sure that depression has a lot to do with it. Wonder if there are yoga classes for old fat girls, like me, lol?? With my bad knees, I probably couldn\'t do it anyway......
So nice that you got to spend some time with beautiful Cevyn!! I hope you regain some of your zest for life soon. Congratulations, on finishing the cook book and thank you, for your hard work :)
((((HUGS)))), Julia
Thank you for sharing how you are. I am so proud of you fighting through and pushing forward through thick and thin.
I understand SAD\'s. There\'s another issue that the majority of people don\'t seem to understand or respect as sometime\'s debilitating. I guess the \"glass half full\" response is that, being aware of what it is and how it can affect you, is empowering.
Your efforts to put the cookbook together are really admirable. I wish I could\'ve helped, but so very proud of you for sticking with it and getting it done!
Marlene, I am so glad you have yoga. Having something to look forward to that not only is good but good for you is awesome!
Hang in there girl! I so wish we lived close enough to give and receive hugs in person but for now, I\'ll send a really serious hug via wifi!
Cevyn is so lucky to have you and Joe in her life. The memories and conversations will last her a lifetime!
Love you lady
Merrilee
Glad that cookbook is donesounds like it was a real \"labor\" of love
I get more depressed from the summer heat! I love when it starts to get cooler, Although, after experiencing primarily 6 mos of winter (Wy) and then six mos of summer (AZ), I am enjoying the more or less constant CA temps (but wish we never had heat waves here!)We\'re all so different--no wonder we all grieve so differently, right!?! Take care. Love, Donna
When your winter is at its peak it is time to run to the south. Our winter may get into the 40\'s or as cold as in the 30\'s but the sun comes out and it warms up. It doesn\'t stay cold all the time we have waves. I love the winter because the house is open and the breeze freshens the house. I like to drink warm coffee or tea at night and snuggle. We have plenty of sun being at the edge of the tropics or in it which ever it is LOL . The snow birds who come down from the snow and ice will be in shorts and t shirts me in jeans and a long sleeve shirt , what a sight.
Am I making you see the sun and fun for the winter LOL
Sending sunny hugs your way
Penny
I am with you, I hate the thought of winter coming!!! All that snow and cold weather... Yuck!! On a happier note I do like this time of the year!
Funny how much delight I take in knowing that winter makes other people miserable... LOL Seriously... they even have a name for it as you mentioned SAD... isn\'t it appropriate... I think getting older has made SAD more of a problem for me... and Cara dying... because it all begins to hit me as her birthday and then her angel day and winter and all the gloom just come rolling down the mountain... I turn on the lights... I refuse to let it be dark and gloomy... I only wish I could walk like you do... I\'m downright embarrassed.... You should move down here each winter... compared to your winters this will be like summer... LOL You can kick my backside and make me go walking with you. I think we should perhaps take a bow though... we\'re still working on finding a way to live this life...