This year, 2017, has been a difficult one for me. I have had continued financial problems, complicated with additions of some new ones. It has been a struggle for me to return from this, but as so many of you old friends know, it has been my way of life, thus far.

In the past I have had to pay off debts incurred by a husband with poor credit who used mine. When the marriage ended, I inherited the debt (because he used my cards to get what he wanted). I hate to say this, but this happened with more than once. I was working and eventually made it back to solvency. – Then.

Now I am retired, on social security, and trying to make ends meet. In addition to the debt I had, I encountered new debts when mechanical issues arose with my car and I lost my best friend, Bobby Socks, my Pekinese.

Slowly I have chipped away at the financial problems and had to deal twice with falls that badly bruised me. I had to accept that I was not in the condition to climb anything or stumble and fall anymore. I already walk with a cane and was lucky that I did not break anything with these falls.

There have also been good things in this year that I savor and hope to keep. I have made some great new friends. And I am approaching solvency once again.
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Yes, I will be glad to see 2017 in the rear-view mirror. I am planning on making December, my favorite month, happy and full of good humor and comfortable living. The debts are gone, the health and bruises are healing, and my psyche is ready to enjoy life again.
 
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​Yes, today is Thanksgiving and since last year much has changed, but overall, I am still relatively healthy and still alive, although older, it seems. I am cooking, as my tradition has been. I had planned to go on an adventure to a Native American Powwow, but one of my famous falls has banged me up, so I am staying home and cooking.

It will be one of my alone Thanksgivings but that is OK. I am experienced with alone. My menu is a ragtag version of the larger ones have prepared, but I cheated bit. I did not buy a turkey because I really get tired of all the leftovers and since I had not saved for this meal, I had to improvise. I bought some roast turkey slices to add to a frozen meal. I am making smaller versions of my potatoes, green bean casserole, and stuffing. There is cranberry sauce, too. I bought, compliments of Publix, a pumpkin pie.

I will have the parades on for a while but finally have given up on getting justice at this apartment for the Ham radio operator who hides it when the management comes by.  I got basic cable and I must hook it up today -so I CAN watch parades, etc. on network TV.

​The apartment is starting to smell a lot like Thanksgiving. I hope you all are spending time with friends and family or just enjoying having the day off. Whatever, I hope this day is truly enjoyable for you.

FYI - I am OK - very sore and bruised but livable. I was in so much pain last night I just went to bed very early . I slept 12 hours and I am better today.

​I have lots of bruises on my feet, unexpectedly, on my legs and a few cuts and scrapes from the stand that TV sits on. My left should is sore, but I can move it. Maybe I did not destroy my rotator cuff this time.

​My major fall 8 years ago is when I became a person who walks with a cane.  I guess I have to admit that I am not totally self-sufficient any longer, I must ask for help, now, and those who have known me for a long time know that this is not something I like to do.

​But part of this aging process is learning acceptance for your frailties. Learning to adapt to difference changes in life-style. I have just started to adjust to the very low income I have now. In addition, I guess I will have to admit to my aging. But I am not OLD yet. Remember that means Outlasted Life's Dreams. I will still dream of better things for me and work to get them. That is just me. I might have to ask for help sometime, though. That will be tough. 

  Well, it looks like I will not be going to the Native American Powwow on Thanksgiving Day, as planned. Next year I will go. But this year I have really fixed myself up. I was trying to move my little antenna from one space on the wall to another to see f I could find a spot where my **** neighbor’s ham radio antenna did not screw up my TV reception so bad. I used to be able to stand on a chair and perform these duties, but in a few months, it appears that I cannot any longer.

I fell – nothing broken but the body’s impact on the hard floor was quite intense. I will be bruised, I am sure, and very sore. I was with the last fall, but that one was face first and blackened both eyes.

So now I am back to square one for Thanksgiving. I have some food that I can prepare, and I might be too sore by then to do much more. Maybe my new cable TV will start up by then. I ordered very basic stuff, so I can at least see network shows. Is it wrong for me to hate the man who is causing my all this trouble with my TV? Management here told him to get rid of the ham radio stuff, but he hid it when they came to inspect. He even put the 4-ft. tall antenna on his car!! Their reasoning is that since it is on his property they cannot do anything about it. Only 4 months left on my lease and then color me gone.
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Now back to more pleasant issues. Soon it will be December, my favorite month since it is my birthday month and of course, Christmas comes then. These days all of the prep and gift buying is no longer done but I still love that time of year. I am going to try to find a small tree and decorate it a bit. My belongings, as most friends know, are 1000 miles away in NC. That includes all of the Christmas decorations, but I will buy a few and do what I can. It is time to celebrate life, since I am still alive, even if a bit sore now that “grace” has left the building.

It is time to update you. I have been busy living life once again and trying to improve my environment, even though I plan to move to a new one in the spring. I seem to come alive when the holidays arrive and even though I do not have family to help me celebrate I still love them.

I have decided to change my traditions this year. I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner form myself alone or for some neighbors who live in my apartment for many years now. I have warned those neighbors that I am not cooking, and they already have other plans. Even though it is a few days away, I do not have a decision yet on my options.

My options – the beach, whether pretty or not OR a member of a group called Nothing But a Good Time, that I plan to join, is going north in the county to the Poarch Creek Indian Powwow on Thanksgiving Day. THIS is what I want to do. Wow. I can afford the fee, but I am low on gas and it is the end of the month. Can I buy enough gas to get me there and back (total of 120 miles) and then last the rest of the week? Note: I have plenty of food. My assignment is to figure out mileage and see how much gas I need. I am only 1/8 Native American but would love to go to this. She said they will have vendors selling food and arts and crafts. Also, there will be dance contests all day. What a new adventure for me!
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Must go and calculate. Will let you know if I can go, and if I do, I will report. I want to very badly. Talk to you soon.
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​Today I have vowed to stay home all day and tend to my apartment. First, I have been “running the streets” (a phrase from a young friend of mine) for 3 straight days. Second and foremost, I am tired. But my mind and my imagination do not want to stay here.

Already at 10AM, I am thinking of things I need to buy or things I need to do out of this apartment. Now that I have returned from my recent “vacation” away from my real life, I am ready to leap back into it like I used to do, forgetting that my body is older than it was then.

It has been a nice feeling though, to go to sleep tired at night instead of bored. However, all my plans need to be scheduled instead of trying to do them all now. That is one of my few faults (ha, ha); I want everything now.

Sooooo, today I must tend to this apartment, my home(?) for now. All those mundane tasks must be done, and I will do them, eventually, today, some time. But the life outside my door is calling me.
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First, I think I will rearrange my bedroom and my living room. THAT is creative and not just cleaning. Now to get started.
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