To writing

I am working on some of my posts and making them into some longer and more thoughtful articles and sending them off to see if by chance I could possibly get something published. I sent one in that was due the beginning of November and have not heard a word. They didn't even send an email to say they received the submission, so the other day I wrote and asked if they had received it and no response. I know they probably get a great deal of articles to read, but it would be nice to know that it ended up where it was supposed to go. All I can do is wait, and see if I ever hear back for now. 

I enjoyed writing the article immensely. I would keep my computer set up and every time I had some spare minutes I would sit down and write some. I needed to make the post 2500 words or more so it took time to think about how I wanted to expand the post. I just kept at it, not sure if I could ever reach the word count, but I actually went over it!  It was a good mental exercise  for me and I felt so productive and also grounded. I felt lost when I was done, but then the holidays happened and there was less free time and I lost my focus. I am starting to get back into my writing frame of mind and hopefully I plan to begin to edit the story I wrote at the writing retreat this spring and find a place to send that one off to. 

The past two days were spent taking my mother to the doctors because she has had a bad infection and needed to go in for anti-biotic shots on top of the oral antibiotics. After taking her to the doctor it is going to the pharmacy to get her prescription and then since it is in the grocery store, I need to get her groceries. It has been so cold here and running errands in this weather made me feel chilled to the bone even as over dressed as I was! 

We do so much with our elders. We are lucky to have them still, and they are lucky to have us to depend on. I have siblings so we take turns, but we all have such busy schedules, sometimes one of us ends up "on duty" two days in a row. 

Tomorrow we have our grandson here, so that will be another busy day, but most of my writing happens when he goes down for a nap!  

We are the sandwich generation. We tend to our elders and our little. And I would not have it any other way! 

Happy 2015

I have neglected this blog for so long, and I have missed writing here and also visiting my favorite blogs. I hope to get back to it because it is something I do enjoy and I miss hearing about everyone!

We spent the end of Sept. until Thanksgiving in a state of crisis mode. My 93 year old mother-in-law was hospitalized with an infection that was completely treatable, but then morphed into a series of life-threatening situations. It was so awful as far as the worry about her health and her spirits, endless trips to the hospital, constant phone calls from the hospital with often serious on the spot life or death decisions to make. And on top of all that, trying to get the day to day living tasks done. 

It is all a very long story and mostly unbelievable. After so many brushes with death and all of us prepared to let her go, she survived and is now living in an independent assisted living facility. It all feels like a bit of a dream that it ever happened, but now life is settling down some and it feels so much better all around.

To this I say, age is a factor in when serious health issues arise, but really, it is the human spirit that prevails. 

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve. I had my children and their wives here along with our first grandchild. My 89 year old mom, my 86 year old aunt, and my sisters and their families were also here to celebrate with us. My grandson in 11 months old now and crawling all over the place. He lights up a room with his charming smile and laid back personality. He was in the center of everything and we all felt so connected to him and to one another. 

Usually my sister does Christmas Eve, so it was a new tradition for us to host it here. I am hopeful that we will keep this arrangement for years to come as it worked out so well. 

Christmas day was much quieter, with my husband and I, brother-in-law, and niece, having dinner at the assisted living place with my mother-in-law. We had a delicious pork roast dinner and we were even allowed to bring a bottle of wine to the table. I was enjoyable not to be the one doing the cooking and no clean up was so nice! My mother-in-law was very pleased. After dinner we went back to her room to shower her with Christmas gifts.

New Year's Eve was spent in the movie theater watching, WILD with Reese Witherspoon. I had read the book and loved it. Cheryl Strayed is an absolutely fantastic writer. She melts my heart over and over again. I was reluctant to see the film because I didn't see how they could do it justice! But I was wrong. They did a descent job! I am glad I read the book first though, because I am not sure I would have been able to follow all of the flashbacks! 

So I wish you all a very Happy New Year filled with love and light!