Life Update

Living with Chronic Pain has become so much harder lately. I know, many people live life, on the daily in chronic pain. It’s no wonder we have an opioid pandemic here in the USA. 22% in the USA alone, apparently. With modern medicine the way it is, why do we not have any other choice, other then masking the pain with a pill that tells our brain that we have no pain.

I started feeling pain throughout my body back in 2016. It started after I was diagnosed with thyroid disease. I don’t remember if it’s the hypo or hyper, but it’s the one where it’s nearly impossible to lose weight without starving myself.

That said, since Covid, I had lost 80lbs. Recently, I have gained 10lbs back. It’s very frustrating. Back to carb free living. I will be able to get back on track after the wedding.

For the most part, I suffer silently. The last thing people want to hear about is your pain. Mental, or physical. It has never bothered me personally listening to people share their pain, but I am aware that it’s not a topic people feel comfortable listening too, so I just don’t bring it up. Right up there with Politics, Money, and Religion. Also, topics that I don’t mind hearing people discuss.

I think having worse knee pain then before my knee surgery now, eight months later, along with back pain, I’m just at a point where I’m upset over it. Hence talking about it…

I just joined the gym again last week, and I am trying to force myself to swim and exercise 3x a week. It’s insanely difficult.

The hot tub always feels amazing for body pain (while you are soaking), but they never reopened the steam room, since Covid.

Speaking of Covid. I have had it three times now. All my kids have had it except for one of my daughters, which seems to be immune to it. She’s around it almost on the weekly. Her BF and friends have all had it, and she hangs out with them and just doesn’t catch it. Amazing!

I have recently hung out with someone who had it, and also didn’t catch it.

What else has been happening?

My slow living has for the most part, ceased. Not happy about that at all!

Something else I want to get back on track. I swear the Art of slow living should be a priority for everyone. There is something so life altering about living at a slow pace, doing things unbothered and Unrushed. Living in Slow motion. Maybe it’s because I’m turning fifty this year, but age is beautiful! A realization and feeling that this life is just temporary. Enjoying the grass under your feet. The sun on your face. The bird that flies by. Speaking of birds. I bought a ring that is a hummingbird feeder. I’m on the porch each day waiting for the hummingbirds to trust me. I have so many in the yard, and I know that one day soon, one will trust me enough to hand feed it.

I am Currently reading the book, The Art Of Rest.
Apparently they have this book in all the hotel rooms in Bali.
I was intrigued, so I bought it. It’s just taking me longer to read, due to lack of time that I have to read.
I don’t remember the last day that I didn’t need to leave my house. I long for the olden days… days upon days of being home.

Planning a big wedding has been amazing, and exhausting at the same time. If that makes sense.
I really had no idea what was all involved, having eloped, myself.
Still a huge fan of people eloping I think!
I think it’s because of my lack of organization skills that I once had.
If I was not working from my house and I had a supersized outdoor building I think there would be less chaos, for sure.
Having an online store of five thousand items, is bound to be chaotic. Everything is in bins, but is around me.
Not to mention my three daughters online stores and all of their belongings.. that said,
I would never want a brick and mortar store though. Nothing beats working from home. I just miss things being pretty, and orderly. Once my daughter moves in a couple of months, I will have a free bedroom to use as a work room. I see order in the near future.

Lastly, I plan to get back to funny conversation blogs soon. I have heard some interesting ones lately. And have been involved in many myself. Maybe it’s with age, or just because of how I dress and my goofy smile, but I’m still approached on the daily, while out and about.. I left social media to not have so many peoples conversations in my head space, but they really are all still there. Just in person now. Lol

Living through Three Generations

Living through 3 Generations

This has been on my mind over the past year.
Somewhat exciting, as I’m still alive, but also depressing, as things are changing so fast.
I am reminded that the days are long, but the years are short.

Are we all just more in tune with the rapidly changing world, or did our ancestors also feel this way, but they didn’t voice it.

Personally, I refer to the Good Old Days as growing up in the eighties. Alas’ I am sure the generation before me thinks of their generation as the Good Old Days. And so forth.

The nineties were also good.
Raising kids through y2k was also good, yet this new world that has produced this current generation is not so good. In my opinion of course. Many people think it’s great!

I hear phrases such as, Look how far we gave come. It’s so wonderful! And I silently think, REALLY?

I have now been a mother more then half of my life. My two oldest kids are very different from my three youngest, growing up as Gen Z. They are not as worldly as most, but they are a product of this current, wreck of a world we are all now in.
Times have really changed.
People have changed.
This world has changed.
It has become so foreign to me.

Despite removing myself entirely from social media seven years ago, I see how different this world is, even from seven years ago.
They say that nothing is new and history repeats it self. But having lived through three generations, this has been by far, the worse one yet.
No one cares about anything or anyone.

There is no right or wrong.

Anything goes.

Heck, people do not even know what sex they are.

This new world demands for us all to accept everything and everyone, and yet; it is void of all Love. God is Love.
The demand for acceptance has breeded a world full of hate, confusion, and disorder.

It sometimes makes me sad and depressed to think about, to be honest. But then I am quickly reminded on how it ends. God allows everything to happen for his purpose and glory, so I will continue to praise him in the storm.

Conversations July 18, 2022

Thrift Store

Lady on her cell: “Amen to that sister. Yes, I agree. I also found out who the real Christian’s were during Covid.”

“I had a lady not wanting to hug me because I did not have a mask on. I was like, you get your behind over here and give me a hug girl!”

“Fear. And you know what the word says about fear. I agree. If it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go. I will not walk around in fear. In todays world everyone is so fearful. They don’t want to do this or that. Scared of their own shadow. I’m living my life, not just sitting and waiting to die. You want to to sit and wait to die, go right ahead, but do not insist that the rest of us walk around in zombie land.”

Tampa, Florida 2022

Last Running WW2 Ship American Victory WW2 Ship These notebooks were on the drawer next to the typewriter.

Tampa, Florida 2022

Conversations May 3,2022

St Petersburg Florida

Sunshine Thrift

Two Seniors shopping together

1:”I am just happy to see you Betty. How long has it been?”

2:”Two months at least. It’s the snowbird life.”

1:”That it is. I keep telling Ed, we need to start off earlier. I see you have been working on your tan.”

2: “I have. What I like to do, is to tan in the back, facing the lake with nothing on at all. I figured I’ve earned it.”

1: “ Well ever since Covid, they are saying that we need more vitamin D.”

2: “That, they are. Can you help me choose a backless swimsuit?” I need to work on my own tan.”

1:”Over here. That’s where all the swimsuits are.”

Conversations April 9, 2022

Thrifting:

Two women talking next to me:

1-“It’s too late to start tomatoes now.”

2-“Are you sure, bubba use to start them right up until June.”

1- “Yea, should have been started two weeks ago.”

2-“What about if I buy the trees already started and put them in the ground?”

1-“Now that you an do.”

Two other women:

1- “She’d be getting her butt whipped if she were my brat running around the store like an untamed animal. What the heck is with that mother?”

2-I know. It’s no wonder we have the mess that we do with kids now a days. Look at her over there. She should have left her three brats at home. They are a mess!”

Two other women shopping, also noticing..

1-“why doesn’t the staff tell that mom to control her darn kids. They should not be allowed to run up abs down the isles like that abs making such a mockery.”

2-“Want me to go speak to the manager?”

1-“Yes!”

2-Okay, she said she’s already asked the mom twice to keep her children with her.”

1-“Well, let’s look at the dresses and get out of here. Those kids are stressing me out.

A grandma and her middle age daughter:

Grandma-“Ate you sure she said that her wedding colors are
FLORESANT orange and charcoal gray dear?”

Daughter: “She did. I am not fond of either color and I think it’s going to be hard to find a dress in either color.”

Grandma-“Did she tell you how or why she chose those specific colors?”

Daughter:”I assume they are sone sports team. Otherwise your guess is as good as mine.”

Grandma-“Well, let’s do check. There are a few other places we can also check. I certainly don’t think I’d be ever wearing either color after the wedding so I don’t think we should spend a lot.”

While cashing out, the mom with the three kids is in front of me.

She cashes out and leaves and sone people in the store start clapping.
Then the cashier says to me, that she’s going to need to retire after listening to screaming kids for the past three hours.
The other two cashiers agreed, and one said that she doesn’t know why the mother didn’t take her out to the car for a whipping.

Conversations at a Hospital ER

I can’t quote any of these because o was going through an ordeal myself at the time, but these all took place within a six hour ER hospital floor. Yesterday.

Man rushed in due to a Snake bite from doing yard work. He said it was his second bite this year. He was treated immediately with a shot and prescription for pain meds.

A lady rushed in screaming because she had Open surgery last week and the wound had ruptured. Blood. Stitches came out. She was screaming in pain.

Two elderly women were dealing with UTI’s.

One women had a Fainting spell.

A Lady got kicked out by her boyfriend several hours prior and was now homeless and suicidal. He’s tried strangling her several times but she really loves him..
Scissor scars on both arms from previous attempts. She said she was a threat to herself and had no place to go. Her Kids don’t talk to her. No living parents. Estranged sister. And she just turned
66 years old and was completely alone. They admitted her for mental health reasons.

It takes a very special person to be able to work in a ER. The staff were all attentive and professional.

Conversations March 30, 2022

Thrifting-

Two moms taking:

Mom#1- “Cash is a horrible school! It’s actually the worst in the city. Everyone knows it. Teachers cuss at the students. No one cares. You make a complaint to the teacher or principal you get cussed out too.
Cussing at middle school children is not okay. My friends daughter was having trouble reading and the teacher would call her dumb. She’d come home crying. She’d call the teacher for a meeting and she’d have the teacher come down on her.

Mom#2- “Well my son was suppose to go there because it’s the closest to where we live, but we just pay the penalty of not sending him there each year. It’s only $300 a year. He goes to K’ville middle school. It’s a much better school.
It bugs me that kids are not allowed To bring their own lunch, but I think that is everywhere nowadays.”

Mom#1- “Yes, that is everywhere. It’s not the way it was when we were in school. I pay $65 a month for my son to bring his ham sandwiches for lunch. He’s still not allowed to sit in the cafeteria with the other kids, which I think is nuts!
I can see if it were a PB&J, but it’s a ham sandwich.”

Mom#2- “You know why they do that right?
If there are not enough kids getting the schools lunch, they get less funds coming in. So we are paying the difference.
I don’t want my kid eating those unhealthy lunches!”

Mom#1: I know. It’s crazy! But at least they are not at home anymore.
Covid is still going on. My son still has to wear a mask all day at school. Even on the playground.
He came home one day last week not feeling well. Took his temp and then we gave him a Covid test that came back positive.
By morning he was fine so I sent him right back to school. You know what happens if I would have told the school he had Covid?”

Mom#2: “Yes I do! I have been through the same thing twice with my other kids. If you tell them your kid tested positive, they will make the whole classroom stay home for ten days.
Yeah! I don’t think so. It’s so dumb!”

Mom#1: “Hey! Don’t call him a name or you will go to jail young man. That’s how it works.”

Conversations March 17, 2022

Starbucks

A Grandma waiting outside next to us on a chair I front of Starbucks.

Three teen to College age Grandkids with masks arrive.

“Oh my gosh! it’s been so long since we have seen you grandma!”

Grandma: “Yes, before Covid I think.”

GrandKids: “Well, we do live all the way in ******** grandma. (Twenty mins away)

Grandma: “Give me a great big hug kids! Boy has grandma missed you!”

Grandkids: “We are going to have to give you an air hug because you don’t wear a mask grandma.”

Travel Time Again

It’s that time of the year again. We are planning a road trip. South Carolina, Savannah,Georgia, and then to St. Petersburg and Tampa Florida.

I have no clue why hotels have nearly doubled, so we are looking for a cottage to rent. Much cheaper.

I plan to do some Thrifting along the way, so hopefully I will have some more interesting conversations to share. Yes. Yes. I know it’s wrong to be sharing other peoples conversations for entertainment. 🤪

What else? We are off to try to find my daughter some prom shoes today, once the exterminator leave. She has two proms this year. Hence, two gowns and two pairs of shoes. She already bought two dresses. One is an ANTHROPOLOGIE and the other is a Ted Baker. Both pink!

I thrifted these really cool Nikes last night.

Size 8.5 I can’t wait to list them! They even came with their dust bag. I guess everyone is getting new tennis this time of year, as I’ve been finding so many good ones. Last week I found some mens Nike Air Force 1’s. I also found some Women’s Tods, that already sold. Lots of Cowboy boots with the Good year tire soles. Too bad no prom shoes.

I have started sourcing from Jomar this past month.

When I first started reselling, back in 1999, I sold toys and antiques. There is still a high demand for both, but my interests have changed, and I need to enjoy my work.

It’s so nice to find a source that delivers, that’s actually good. Currently I’m waiting for a hat box to arrive. When I thrift locally, I’m looking for bras, swimwear, nightwear, purses, quilts, and designer items. I’m fading away from hard-goods, as they are harder to flip and take up too much room. Not to mention wrapping breakables and hoping that they arrive in one piece.

I guess that is it for now.