Brother's & Sister's Day

These are my bother's and sisters, some of them I have not seen since my fathers funeral. When we moved my father into a nursing home the last piece of glue keeping us together dissolved. We each had our own children & each of us concentrated on those children and drifted into different lives more or less forgetting each other.

It is strange to some of you I'm sure but other than our parents we had very little in common. We didn't hate each other as some families do but seeing each other reminded us of the things we were trying to go beyond. A drunken father, a distant mother and rampant sexual abuse by an uncle was what I saw when I saw them, I do not know if they saw the same.

I made a life for my children and me though not as good a one as I could have they tell me. It saddens me to think that this was 15 years ago. I have seen my baby sister many times and the middle one as well but neither of my brothers.

Strangely as sad as it makes me I really have little reason or interest in reconnecting with them I have my hands full with 8 grandchildren and a part-time husband.

Still, if your brothers and sisters are close to you celebrate with them today!

Comments

National Make a Friend Day

I am not very good at making friends or keeping them it seems. I do not go outside much, in fact I hardly leave my home unless it is family related. That makes it hard especially since friends expect you to come to them at least once in a while and I find I can't.

If it were simply a matter of laziness it would be understandable but it isn't. Some days I can't even open the door to let in some fresh air. I do not know where the fear comes from I just know that that is what I feel when I think about going outside most of the time.

Agoraphobia: Triggers for this anxiety may include wide-open spaces, crowds (social anxiety), or traveling (even short distances). Agoraphobia is often, but not always, compounded by a fear of social embarrassment, as the agoraphobic fears the onset of a panic attack and appearing distraught in public.
Causes: Genetic and environmental factors Symptoms: Anxiety in situations perceived to be unsafe, panic attacks Treatment: Cognitive behavioral ther…

Hello March

May the sun be with us! Except with the quiet coming of March be on the lookout for at least one more big storm before the end of the month. I love the sun but I always hope March comes in like a lion so that it will go out like a lamb. I can deal with cold and snow early in the month but I always wish for the beauty of sun and green buds on the trees at the end of it.

So where did the phrase 'In like a lamb, out like a lion' come from?

There are several ideas:

While many sayings are base on observation and are accurate, others are the rhymes and beliefs of those who came before us.
Those folks actually believed that bad spirits could change the weather adversely, so they were cautious as to what they did or didn't do in certain situations. Those beliefs also included ideas that there could be a balance in weather and in life. So if the weather came in bad, (like a lion) it could go out good and calm. (like a lamb)
Since March is such a changeable month in which we can see…

Women's Heart Health

February 1st - 7th is Women's Heart Health Awareness Week and I felt it would be remiss of me not to include some conversation about it here given that the professor suffered a heart attack a bit over two years ago and that I am a prime candidate.

Let us start with why I am a prime candidate - Obviously being 100 pounds overweight puts me in the high-risk area immediately. Add in High Chloresterol, physical inactivity, diabetes, post-menopausal and over 55. Since only two of those are needed to put me in the at-risk category that I have six means that I am very high risk. The only way it could be worse is if I still smoked or drank and still lived a high-stress life. Thank goodness for small miracles.

Not sure where you stand? check out this checklist. This checklist and the other pdf's linked here are from the Women's Heart Foundation

Do you know what the prescription is to lower the risk factors? It's simple join the 10,000 steps a day club. That's it! walk 10 th…

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