Jeanniebean

FULL BLOOM & WHAT TRIGGERS ME I have not had a camera for years, except a instant throw away camera and who these days can consider that a real camera with digital camera. Nothing like it WOW :happydance: . Being able to download your pictures to your computer and post them on my blog, send them to a friend, post them to a web page. The technology is just amazing to me. I was a Information Service Manage (ISM) that's running a company's what they use to call Main Frame computer. Everyone's computer was connected and when they had a problem I was called on to solve it. I think now where and why I had been stroked, I was a type A workaholic. I was on call 24/7, when someone called out sick , Example: I had three shifts, six days a week every person was required to be able to stay 4hrs into the next shift for that person called out sick. Then the third person was asked to come in early 4hrs to cover the rest of the shift. I would fill in if anyone had prior commitments. Laptops were not invented back then. I've mastered posting my images to my albums. I still have not figured out how to delete a photo from a album. Taking garden pictures is a start for me to perfect taking landscape pictures. I have a Sony Cyber-shot digital camera, still learning what the symbols mean. As I get older I think manufactures print instructions so tiny font and then half of the booklet is another language. I don't need instructions in another language I only need ENGLISH. This gripes me. If they made instructions in one English (for we are in America and our language I thought was English.) They could print instructions in a readable font size. The reason this peeves me is because my foreign language is Latin. I have attempted to learn Spanish but I fall into that bad English rut of pronouncing words, were Spanish is what you see it how it is pronounced. That's my beef for today. I'm enjoying the pictures I take and hope you are also.

Post-Stroke is a never ending relearning goal. Have you ever thought of chair bowling? Their are many things you can use and practice to get that balance back. My sister is a Pilaties instructor and worked with me on a ball. In just 2 weeks I had better balance. I keep working, ging on 5 yrs. It never ends.

Fresh pasta their is nothing like it But, to make it and then have the joy of rolling it out is a great enjoyable passion for a Foodie like myself. I bought for Carl the pasta attachment for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. We went shopping and bought fresh scallops. So when I got home I made pasta dough covered it with plastic, set it in the fridge to rest. Two hours later I prepared pasta. That was my part in making dinner. Carl prepared the scallops and cooked the pasta. The dish came out superb. I love this attachment.

BEAUTY IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER! Carl's hard work and mine are blooming with beauty. I'll be taking more pictures as time goes on. The butter- fly garden is just starting I'm watering once after the sun goes down. Thank you all for reading my blog, it is the best therapy without paying the doctor. :cocktail: remembertolaugh, Jeanniebean

Sorry to hear about your friend. Look at the bright side she has fulfilled her time here and you were one of the lucky ones to share your experiences of life. Have fun and enjoy your summer, you have a life time to work and pay taxes. remembertolaugh, jeanniebean

You know when you have a story to tell, you start at the beginning. I have to start at the beginning. When I was a young child I was a very sick child. My mother always had me at the doctors just about everything, now looking back on those days. I am the youngest of four, all together 3 girls and 1 boy. #1 sister had a heart murmur, the only boy was allergic to wool, #2 sister was normal until later in her life ( that's another story for another time), and then their was me. Every one in my family was to say of normal size. I was a bit chunky. (like Ben & Jerry;s Chunky Monkey Ice Cream.) :roflmao: My mother fed all the kids the same. Mom was a stay at home mom this is back in the 50's. She would have dinner on the table at 6pm, dad would be home from the office and us kids would be home. I remember our dinners always meat and potatoes and a canned vegetable. If their were a little leftovers some one had to eat them and my brother and sisters would say pass them to Jean, Jean will eat it. ( like Mikey will eat it) :secret: My first health problem started feeling like I was being choked when I would do any running. Upon going to the doctors and him felling my neck,my throat area a large bulge result: I had a goiter wrapped around my wind pipe. Before I knew it I was in the hospital getting my front neck split open remove the goiter, then they used clamps to close it up. My parents came to visit in the recovery room. When I awoke I went to speak.... no voice. The doctors did not prepare me that I would maybe not to talk for they might and did scrap my voice box. (I can remember this as if it was yesterday, the stroke didn't take this memory away from me.) Before I went home from the hospital I was weighted, 30lbs heavier then when I arrived. me and I gained 30lb. This whole event was very traumatic on myself, as I retrospect. My older sisters were harder n me that my mother. I took medication to replace my thyroid gland but I proceeded to gain 10lbs a year from then on. By the time I'm 45 years old I know weigh 300lbs. and I stand 5'1". Another five years and I was stroked, left paralyzed on my right side. That's when something came over me. While I was rehabbing at home Holy Spirit spoke to me. I was fearful at first. But, the thought came to me this is my savior trust, and believe. Having a lot of questions about my faith why am I still here? I have more lessons to learn. I had faith before but, now I ask him before I proceed with anything. Loosing weight was on my mind. I just didn't have the energy (I felt) to do any exercise to get the weight off. To stop putting the food to my mouth. My stroke was a blessing for me. It's extream to say that but,it woke me up. I got a pedometer and started walking around the park that was across from my house. I walked around the big box stores. I felt better. One of my deficits from the stroke was no appetite. Carl would have to remind me to eat. That's when it was spoken to me (Holy Spirit) that I never new what hunger was. I grew up eating by the clock. I now know what hunger feels like. WOW! AMAZING! I drink water, water, water all day long. Breakfast: oatmeal. Lunch:soup Dinner: soup and what ever Carl would cook for dinner. I changed my dinner plates to salad plates, when it's empty I'm full. I gained weight back this last winter, the cold really effected me. But I was not going to set that back for long. My legs are not doing well so I started swimming laps. I can do my laps between 5:30am to 9:30pm. i swim every day for 1hr and some time twice a day. I love it. I've lost 20lbs in the last month. My arthritis in my legs, arms, shoulders and back is feeling great. My pain has lessened. I'm trying to cut back on my pain medications for numbness of feet and toes I have. I have experienced gaining weight, find my self not being able to do walking like I use to. But, for me I have to move. Do something you enjoy doing. I look forward to wakening up and doing my laps. It was difficult at first (even tho I use to swim on a swim team. Body's change, you kno have large breast, that you think would make you float. They don't. I kept sinking so I took a noodle put it at my waist and with that gave me the flotation I needed. After a month I can swim with no devices.

Tomatoes freshly picked just right outside my front door. All that hard work in the spring is paying off. I have to make it a routine to water in the early morning before the sun hits the plants, and the bugs can eat me up. Now I can enjoy the fruits of my labor. I see those clumps of green grape tomatoes, just waiting till ripe. I'm thinking of the perfect use. Fresh tomatoes with fresh made pasta. I can't wait to try out my new pasta attachment to my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Peppers, all different kinds of peppers we planted. None of them will go to waste, example: Want scramble eggs: run out front pick peppers, dice them seeds and all, crack eggs, add a little cheese and mix it all together and wa-la. A egg omelet. Their are some really hot peppers that Carl adds them to what ever he is making.

Gladice, Good for you. My mother and father moved into a senior building at the age of 70. They had a first floor two bedroom, the bed went in one room and her bicycle went in the other. When she would take her bike out for a ride the other women on the first floor would come outside and watch her. If they were out when she arrived back they would then take a walk. Enjoy your new community. :congrats: remembertolaugh, jeanniebean

Bob, I'm so happy for you and your wife. you for gaining your independence to drive again. And your wife for giving up her chauffeur hat. From so-meone that has been in the same situation and you passed your drivers test let you wife tag along for a while, our brains still have to re-familiarize your reactions on the road. Four eyes are better for a while that two. remembertolaugh, jeanniebean :happydance: