What is Too Crowded?

 Always open, somedays the Stress Pool is a little too crowded!

Let me explain.

True to its name, there is always something going on here. For example, let's look at last Tuesday. It should have been mostly quiet - the only thing we were expecting was a 10:00 a.m. visit from the project manager at Ireland Contracting so we could arrange to sign our lives away with a financing company (we need to replace the back porch before we hit the evening news with tumbling Kellys!), and I had to leave with Moink by 10:45 in order to get him to Wexford for an eye appointment. We might have been cutting it close, but I felt it was going to be a go.

9:30 a.m. I was finishing at the dresser when I noticed in the mirror that a pickup truck had pulled in front of the house. It didn't look like the project manager, and it wasn't. It was a landscaping company that was supposed to have been here in May. (Two months late, but who's counting?!) I knock on the bathroom door to get DH's attention. "The guys from Fujian Landscaping are here."

No answer.

"I'll just go out and...well, I don't know what to tell them." I go out with a smile to greet them, (they appear to have limited English) and tell them my husband would be out in a minute - that we didn't know they were coming. DH comes out, still in jammies, and explains that we had no idea they were coming, but this is what he wanted done - and proceeds to walk them around the house, pointing out what we were hoping to have done two months before. I went back in to finish getting ready.

9:40 a.m. Steve from Ireland Contracting arrives - yay, twenty minutes early, but I was thrilled! (He's really been a pleasure to work with.) We would definitely be able to leave for the eye doctor on time. We sign our lives away, chat a few minutes, and DH starts talking to him about windows. I give them permission to sign my name for upstairs windows.

10:45 a.m. Moink and I get in the car to leave, and notice the Gas Company is unloading large equipment nearby. I hightail it out of there! Moink had forgotten his ID, but before we had left the area. I turned around, he got his wallet, and away we went.

11:30 a.m. We get to the eye doctor, all goes well, and we get back on the highway. DH calls just about the time we have re-entered the South Hills and asks if we were picking up lunch. Well, of course, now we are! 

12:30 p.m. We go through the line at the Chik-fil-A, and heading back down our street, notice there is a flagger right by our house! When he changed the sign to 'SLOW', I pulled up and opened the window. "That's my house - the one with the truck in front of the driveway."

 The poor man seemed confused. "Oh, umm..."

"Can they move the truck? So I can get down my driveway?"

He hesitated, then yelled, "Hey! You gotta move the truck! She needs to get into her driveway!" Mission accomplished. A nice man moved the truck, and I pulled into my spot behind the house. Once inside, DH said, "Oh, by the way, the pool guys were here."

I looked out to the front of the house. Trucks, workers, diggers, landscapers...and I said, "I'm not leaving the house again, and we don't have what we need for dinner. Any suggestions?"

Moink came up with Chicken Parm - he can't have the parm, but he can have the chicken. We already had pasta, sauce, and cheese for the rest of us.  All was right with the world. I just had to let Ms. Business know what we were having - we had done pasta the night before, and figured she wouldn't be interested. And, by the way, there might be some kerfuffle going on when she got home from work, so be prepared. 

3:30 p.m. All is quiet. One would never know anything had gone on around the house today, except for the aroma of fresh manure...

So, new porch sometime in November; new windows upstairs sometime in October; new lens for Moink in a couple weeks; and a few more weeks to enjoy the pool, as long as the days and nights stay warm. Many of you are craving sweaters and pumpkin spice, but not I, not yet. I would like a little time to enjoy the actual pool, especially since I wasn't able to through radiation treatments. Just a couple more weeks, that's all I ask.

Ah, life at the Stress Pool, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else! Have a fabulous rest of the week, a safe and Happy Labor Day weekend, and remember, we are always open and ready to entertain your thoughts - as long as you don't mind it smelling a bit like a horse farm!

Beginnings and Endings

 Greetings fellow swimmers! It is a Wednesday evening in late August, and while I sit on the back porch and listen to the cicadas sing their summer song, I'm reminded of a day from my childhood. It was a night like this - not too hot, but not too cool. It was the night before the first day of school. My new dress was laid out (red and blue plaid, in a light cotton), and new brown leather penny loafers (yes, I had slipped pennies into the slits!) sitting next to my bed. I can almost smell the new leather! A new book bag, blue, (not backpack -we didn't have those yet!), a pencil case holding new pencils, an eraser, and a protractor, and notebooks waited on the dining room table. I couldn't wait to meet my teacher - it was either third or fourth grade, and the anticipation was killing me. I loved school.

Fast forward a couple decades, and the feeling of anticipation of the night before the first day of school still existed. There were no new notebooks, but a planner for my lessons; the same tote bag; new markers, highlighters, and a few new outfits. I never lost the love of school. But, now that I have retired, and this would have been the night before the first day, I find myself strangely at peace. 

I am doing what I like - artwork; reading; spending time with family. I get to play with Simon in the morning while I drink my coffee; talk to friends; sit with DH while we make plans for when and where we will play American Mahjongg that week (yes, a new hobby that we learned together. It keeps the mind going!) And travel planning -Ms. Business is taking me on a trip to Ireland next year - I can barely contain myself! My first juried art show is coming up in September. I've apparently beat the breast cancer - radiation has been done for a little over a month, and it's like nothing ever happened (except that I am tanned in areas that have never seen the sun!).

Life is Good.

Now, if only it would stop raining long enough for the sun to come out and warm up the real pool - that would make everything completely perfect!

I wish all my teacher friends a good year - that the children will be receptive to learning new things, and that your creativity as a teacher will remain fruitful. I'll be watching your posts!

And, if you feel you would like to come take a dip in the Stress Pool - well, you know it's always open!

The Adventures of Betty and Veronica, Part 2

 Greetings! Are many of you treading water these days, just like us at the Stress Pool? While the days are getting warmer (but not this weekend!), the birds are singing (wait until I tell you about the app I have for bird identification!), and the flowers are budding, there is still reason for treading water rather than all-out swimming! Some of the water is clear; some a little murky.

First, the question everyone asks: How is retirement?

Answer?  AWESOME! A woman in the waiting room of a doctor's office asked what I do now that I'm retired. I told her, "Whatever I want, whenever I want!" Including using the bathroom. Sorry to say, though, my bladder is still on school-time. I still wake up around 5:30 for the first go-round (but I go back to bed!), and then the schedule doesn't break the rest of the day! Of course, the difference being I don't have to wait for a convenient moment.

So, part of that philosophy lets me spend more time in the studio, along with Simon. Here he is, on my work table, obviously giving me advice on which colors should be used together.

My mentor, Donna, when we met for our monthly art-talk, told me about a gallery in New Kensington, The Manos Gallery. They have a lot of shows, but there was one coming up that was going to be juried, called "24 Minis". I looked at the prospectus, and hesitated. I've taught art for 27.5 years - but was I good enough to enter an art show? Stealing myself for the possibility of being rejected, I threw my hat into the ring. They had 214 submissions - and wow, I got in! Not sure how many were chosen, but my guess is less than half. So, I've been busy making 24 of these 6"x6" pieces. Plenty of time to tweak and freak (Is this good enough? Do I need more of these colors? What if nobody wants to buy any of these?!) She and I will go out to the gallery in the next month or so to see the layout, and I'll ask my questions (as always, I have many!). The opening reception is September 12, and it runs through October 24th, in case you're in the area and want to stop by. 

Moink and I finished going through his first book - he's been writing it for almost a decade, having come up with the idea after the head injury. I think it's stellar! Now comes the hard part - finding representation. It's as much of a process as writing! If anyone has any wisdom in that arena, I'm all ears.

At Christmastime, I bought B-man a bird feeder and a bird identification book. I wondered if it would be lame for a seven year old, but it turns out he just loves watching the birds come to the feeder! One of the things the sales person at Wild Birds Unlimited told me about was an App for the Cornell Labs, called Merlin. It has features like taking a picture of the bird for identification, but it also has a part where it will listen to and list all the birds it hears. One evening it identified seven birds in my backyard, all in the matter of just a couple of minutes! I'm utterly fascinated with this app. Another reason for being on my phone, like I needed one.

Well, and then there is the elephant in the room. Since the last posting, I've had the surgery, listed as a partial mastectomy (a.k.a lumpectomy), last week on the 23rd.  The pathology report came back that the margins (what she scooped out) weren't as clear as she'd hoped. The nurse who called from the office said the surgeon would talk to me at the post-op appointment about the next steps, which could include radiation, going back in, or watching the area. I have my questions lined up. That isn't until the middle of May. In the meantime, while a little anxious, I wait. Patience is a virtue, and one that I don't possess! Veronica, you are really being a naughty girl, hiding little clusters of cancerous material. I truly appreciate all the prayers and positive thoughts!

Despite all that, there are many positives! The pool people should be out in the next couple weeks to open the real pool; I get a lot of painting time in the studio; I get to spend time with my grandkids (Nana, draw this; read this; play this) and their parents; and DH has been an absolute rock! One of the things we are going to be doing together is taking American Mah Jongg at the USC library, starting next week. I've been playing Mah Jongg solitaire all month to get used to the characters on the tiles. We are both really excited for this - something new. And, we're looking at taking a couple day or over-night trips in the near future. One of the things someone had written on the Happy Retirement board was 'perpetual summer vacation', and it is - but without the thought hanging over one's head about the first day back, and do I have lesson plans in order, and what are my classes going to be like, and we're not even going to talk about professional development!

If you're in the area, stop by the Stress Pool - the towels have been freshly laundered, and the concession stand is ready: we are open 24-7. We can talk about whatever is on your mind - I'm at my leisure!

The Adventures of Betty and Veronica

 Greetings to all! Spring is beginning to spring - I know this because the company that takes care of the actual pool has been in touch, always the first sign that Winter will soon be behind us!

If you are of a certain age, you might remember the Archie comics, and the two female characters therein. They were often envious of the attention given to one or the other by the hero of the comic, Archie. Enough background.

I had a small problem with my right breast last year, right around the time of the hip surgery in March. I saw the breast specialist in June, who is one of a handful of surgeons in the country who can do this particular procedure - no cutting necessary! Without saying too much (so as not to gross anyone out),  the procedure was done and sent to pathology, and thank the good Lord, it was benign. At my check-up, I was given a date for February of this year, for a mammogram with an appointment. From now on, I will have to have a radiologist on hand to look at the pictures, and will have an exam following. I kept the date.

So, I have the mammogram, and have to wait for someone to look at the pictures. The tech came in and said, "We need a couple more pictures."

Now, you know this isn't good. "On the right breast?"

"No, the left."

Humph. In my mind, I dubbed the right "Betty" and the left "Veronica", and wondered just how jealous Veronica had been. Turns out, pretty dog-gone jealous. 

After the second set of pictures, the radiologist met with me, and recommended a biopsy of a 'small cluster of calcifications'. We set it up for the following week: a needle biopsy. 

I despise needles. It was a good thing nobody told me ahead of time the gauge of the needle. All in all, there was mild discomfort, and I moved on with my life. The results were in the following day - positive. Oh, and there was another 'suspicious' cluster - could I come back for a second biopsy next week?

If any of you reading this have gone through this, you'll understand - and I don't want to put anyone off who might have to go through this in the future; we do what we have to do, no matter the amount of discomfort we might have to go through. The second one was a little more unpleasant, but I think that's because of the first one not having completely healed. Also, because this radiologist, more than competent, missed the cluster, probably no more than by a millimeter. So easy to do, I'm sure: they are pinpointing the area through mammography, figuring out the latitude and longitude, and hoping to hit the mark. She got it on the second try. Needless to say, I am still feeling a bit tender, and have the most beautiful shades of purple showing through! 

The second showed the same results as the first. An appointment is scheduled with the same surgeon I had last summer, but I fear this one will involve some cutting. I'll soon find out.

Veronica is smugly smiling at Betty, but she has NO idea what she's in for!

Feelings? Positive. They say it is treatable, so I'm going with that. I also have some very good friends who have gone through much worse with breast cancer, and they are still alive and kicking. We all have our crosses to bear - and mine is nothing compared to those who have not been given the same hope.

Know that I didn't post this for pity or sympathy, but rather as a reminder to get the girls checked every year. This was found during a routine exam - no lumps felt at all, but because it is an early detection, there is hope. Please get checked, for all our sakes! Guys, too - if you find a lump, go get it checked out.

Looking forward to sitting with you at the pool this summer - it won't be much longer! And, of course, the Stress Pool is always open! Come on in anytime.

Call Me Marty

Greetings! 

For those of you who are wondering, no, I'm not bored yet. There is always so much that can be done at the Stress Pool - and oh, so little time! There is catching up with friends and family; organizing the studio; going to Zumba class (which has really helped me with movement in the old limbs); holidays that are still with us in oh -so -many ways. The Christmas tree is down, but DH decided to leave a few things up for another week or so because it just looks so bare without them.

Then, there is the psychological welfare of the cat. I have to play with Simon, who is just having such a hard time adjusting to the changing schedules. And change they have.

Ms. Business took some time off while searching for another dental office - her boss (and our dentist) retired, and she simply didn't want to stay with the corporation that had bought the practice. Since the holidays were upon us, she took time off, therefore spending a goodly amount of time at home. I was leaving for work every day. Simon was thrilled, as Ms. Business is the Favored Human. 

Then came Christmas break, and we were all home for a couple weeks. There was the 'putting up of the tree', which Simon thinks we do just for him. He's never climbed it, but he does like to rub against the bottom branches. All of his humans were around all the time, and life was good for the kitty.

The week after New Year, Ms. Business found a new position - Yay for her! Now, I am home all the time, and she is going out to work. Simon really doesn't know what to do with this, as I am the second Favored Human, and we have found him occasionally moping. So, I play with him, and he often comes in to nap with me in the afternoons (yes, that is a VERY IMPORTANT thing that happens most days!). He'll get used to it, I'm sure. One thing for certain - any time I go down near the studio, he runs to beat me down the steps, only to be disappointed that I haven't gotten out the water for painting. That should start up this week, so he'll be a very happy art cat, indeed!

However, one thing I never expected was to get a new name. Well, new year; new life; new name! Who knew?

As DH and I were leaving a friend's house the other night, we placed a pick-up order of wings at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Washington for our housemates, Ms. Business and Moink. I called it in, because having to try to place an on-line order from my phone just isn't my idea of a pleasant time. The young girl on the other end told me it would be ready by 6:10 - it was 5:45. We arrived by 6:00, and DH said he'd go in, leaving me in the car. The very cold car. Around 6:15 he came out and waved for me to get out and come inside with him.

"Are they running behind?" I asked.

"They don't seem to have an order for us. Did you get a confirmation?"

I looked confused, because I've never gotten a confirmation for a phone order. I shook my head, and we went inside. Well, this poor girl was swamped. She would go back to the kitchen to look for someone's order, and would stay back there for a few minutes. (I think she was hiding.) Meanwhile, even with the people coming in for orders, there remained one bag sitting on the counter behind her. Finally, she got to me.

"Order for Wendy," I said with a smile. 

She glanced at DH, then back to me. They had been through this, going through all of the names DH could think it might be under. "I don't have one for Wendy. Wait. Did you phone it in?" I nodded. She reached for the bag on the counter and read off the order I had placed. With a sigh of relief, she handed us the bag and took DH's credit card. "I thought you said Marty."

And, sure enough, the name Marty was on the order. I know it was noisy in there, but not sure how she got 'Marty' from 'Wendy'. As we left, I said to DH, "My alter ego must have place the call. So, just call me Marty.'

"Wow, what a great title for a story!"

Someone suggested that I should place all take-out orders under the name 'Marty'. I might have to do it, if for no other reason, for kicks and giggles. I've often wished for a nick-name, but Gwen was my choice. I guess we don't really choose our nick-names; they are bestowed on us by others.

Marty it is.

When you're in the neighborhood, stop on by and we'll gaze longingly at the frozen real pool, while perhaps sipping on a nice peppermint hot chocolate - or tea, or coffee, or another beverage of your preference! Stay warm, and good luck on placing your own take-out orders. If you get a new name from someone at your favorite restaurant, we can chat about that on your next visit to the Stress Pool.

My Favorite Things (A.K.A the #1 Thing I Will Miss About Work)

 Greetings to all! Hard to believe that the holidays are just about behind us now, and 2026 is coming in hot. I've had many friends who have asked how it feels to be retired, and I've honestly had to answer that it's hard to say - it is, after all, still winter break. Ask me on Monday, January 5th. 

Darling Hubby (DH) and I are doing the dance - I'm trying to stay out of his way, as he has an already established routine. And, by routine, I mean whatever he feels like doing that moment/day/week - you get my drift. Like, shopping for food for the holiday - I said I would go with him, but I wanted to go early (before noon). He acquiesced, but I don't think he was too happy about it!

Other things that occupy my time (besides the cooking -which I was more than happy to do this year) is reading (3 David Baldacci books -the Amos Decker series - and counting!); cleaning some of those hard -to- get -to spots (has anyone else looked at tips from Southern Living or The Spruce? Highly recommend it!), and reorganizing the studio. One of the things I'm doing in there is making up a Kids Kart - the place where the grandkids know that those are the supplies meant for them. I'll post a picture when I get it all done.

But yes, there will be things I miss about work, like my colleagues; but more importantly - the IT department. One of the things you must remember, is that I "Art" - which does not include technology! It was always comforting to know that Mitch was only an email away, and technology would be fixed in a jiffy!

I went to print something out from my new laptop (an Apple MacAir - love it, but we're still getting used to each other!) which I was able to do this last week, so no problem, right?

Wrong.

Printer out of paper. No biggie - this is within my abilities to remedy.

So I go downstairs to the printer. It isn't out of paper - it claims to have a paper jam. Now I'm sweating.

I take the thing apart (according to directions) and there does not seem to be a jam. So, I try again, and to no avail - my things are not printing.

I went back upstairs, and looking at DH, I said, "I would like to register a complaint with the tech department." I told him what happened, and he said the same thing had happened to him the other day! After a little while, he hauled himself down to his computer to try to correct the issue.

He came back later with several printed things in hand. "I got that message once before, so I asked my friend AI (more on that another time!), and it told me to turn it off, unplug it, remove the paper, turn it upside down, put it right side up, replace the paper, and turn it back on." He handed me the things I had tried to print out. "However, these were in the tray when I went down."

I frowned. "These were the things that wouldn't print for me. I guess the printer was just taking its good old sweet time."

"Oh, so maybe I didn't have to do all those things."

"Probably not. It just doesn't like me."

He nodded in agreement. "It told me it doesn't like you."

A joke we've shared forever about my family talking to inanimate objects made me laugh, "Oh, so you talk to inanimate objects now?"

Scoffing, he started to walk away. "No, but I listen."

Is it any wonder I've started talking to myself?!

So, don't look the IT department (gift horse) in the mouth - that is something I will truly miss!

And, if nothing else, I guess doing calisthenics with the printer might be a change of pace! So, nothing changes at the Stress Pool - but then, I guess we really wouldn't want it to change too much.

Happy New Year from all of us to all of you - and when you're ready to share a cup of peppermint hot chocolate and hear me muttering things under my breath, come on over - there's always an extra pool towel at the Stress Pool!

Nunc Coepi

Holiday Greetings from the Stress Pool, where we look out on the actual pool, which is covered in snow and ice, longing for the days of fun in the sun. Remember those really hot days we had this past summer? I would be happy to go back to those days!

You may be wondering about the title for this blog installment - nunc coepi, a Latin phrase that means I begin. DH had looked it up and told me about it yesterday, and it stuck with me. He's been quite wonderful about this whole retiring thing, but I'll let you know in a couple weeks how he's feeling!)

T.S. Eliot wrote:

What we call the beginning is often the end.

And, to make an end is to make a beginning.

The end is where we start from.

Today marked the end of my teaching career, which lasted twenty-seven and a half years. I have taught more than 10,000 students in that amount of time, made numerous friendships, and truly, just had a lot of fun. There were also some tough times, difficult schedules, tears and frustrations, and things that happened that you would think had been made up! (We've sat it at least one hundred times at meetings and in text threads: you can't make this stuff up!) The kiln breaking down after 100 kids had finished their projects and were waiting to be baked; out of a certain color paint; someone cut their weaving off the loom and now it was coming apart faster than it had been put together. 

I begin.

People ask, "What are you going to do?"

My response, "Whatever I want, whenever I want."

So much that I want to do! No alarms; travel a little; spend time in my studio; spend time with family, not necessarily in that order (except for no alarms!). Drink a mug of coffee without gulping it down. Use the bathroom when I need to, not when someone can watch my class. Decide I really don't need to go out and clear the snow and ice off of my car, because I really don't need to go anywhere. Cook a nice dinner during the week. Read. Spend time with friends. Take Zumba for active seniors (I'm a senior now, you know!).

I begin.

There have been many ends and beginnings in my life, but the anticipation leading up to today has been overwhelming, to say the least. It was bittersweet, with lots of hugs from colleagues and students, a rousing bit of applause from the kids after their volleyball fun this afternoon, followed by more hugs. My name was added to the retirement plaque in the front lobby, with a nice send off from faculty and staff. It has been a wonderful two weeks, filled with well wishes for the future, and it will stay with me for all of my days. But now,

I begin.

Wishing you all the most joyous Christmas and New Year - may they be filled with brightness, good health, and love. And, if you're in the mood, stop by the Stress Pool - I am now at my leisure!

A Summer of Books and Biopsies

 Greetings from the Stress Pool, where everyday is an adventure of enormous proportions! (Not really that big, but adventure certainly awaits!) And, I will apologize up front - this may seem like a quick update, especially since it's been forever since I last posted, but I think you'll understand by the time you get to the end. There's enough here to digest. 

You may be wondering about the title of this diatribe, so allow me to explain.

Most of you know that I had a hip replacement last March - which, BTW, is doing quite well! Now, the other one is a story for another day. Just a few weeks before the surgery, I noticed something odd...a spot on my bra. I thought maybe I had leaned into some paint on the counter in the art room - and since I often wear shirts with busy prints, it seemed feasible that I didn't see some paint before tossing everything into the washer. However, when it happened again - and it was fresh - I freaked out. I called my PCP and asked, "Is this something I have to worry about right now, or can it wait until after the surgery?"

I had a mammogram scheduled for the next day.

A doctor had to be present in order to look at the results, which included dilated milk ducts that had some residue inside. "Did you nurse?"

I nearly fell off the table. "Five children, yes."

Sent me for an MRI, which was an interesting experience in itself. Lie down on your stomach, make sure the thing your chest is on is in the center, and the girls are on either side of this divide. Put your arms so they are above your head (resting on the table, of course!), and oh, by the way, you'll have to hold this position for 20 minutes, okay?

Well, after all that, and a visit with the breast specialist (Raye Budway, if you ever need someone - she was absolutely wonderful!), it was decided that the leakage was blood, and I would need a biopsy. However, she did a procedure that didn't involve cutting - amazing what they can do now! In the end, I'm cancer-free, but will need a mammogram with exam next year, and the date is already set. 

I know two others who had biopsies recently, and don't want to say who to further protect their identities, but one was benign and will undergo a lumpectomy in order to eliminate problems in the future, and the other is malignant and will be undergoing surgery soon. Please keep both of these ladies in your thoughts and prayers. And make sure you are diligent about checking! Guys, too - nobody is exempt from lumps and cancers.

Of course, there was time to be pool side this summer - it's been hot enough! That means a lot of reading has been done, too. But, I wasn't into it as much this year as usual, and I didn't write down some of the books I read, so I can only tell you about the 14 for which I can account. Here goes:

1. The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz  EXCELLENT read - I highly recommend!

2. Her First Mistake by Kendra Elliott - what would a summer be without one of her books?

3. The Librarian of Crooked Lane by C.J. Archer

4. The Watchmaker's Daughter by C.J. Archer  both were good - number four should have been read first, and it is part of a series, followed by the next related series, the first of which is my #3 read. Light reading, and enjoyable.

5. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto. She wrote the Aunties books, which I really liked, and this one was just as good!

6. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Interesting read about Korean and Japanese cultures. I couldn't put it down and learned so much.

7. Here One Moment by Lianne Moriarty. She never disappoints!

8. The Birthday Mystery by Faith Martin. Fun read about a traveling chef in England.

9. The Winter Mystery by Faith Martin. Same traveling chef. Same country. Fun read!

10 The Boomerang by Robert Bailey. What if you were the president, and knew there was a cure for cancer? What if you were told you weren't allowed to share that information? What would you do? (Bailey is also one of my favorite authors!)

11. On a Quiet Street by Serafina Nova Glass. This was one of our book club picks - it had quite a twist at the end, which I never saw coming! Also a good read.

12. My Friends by Fredrik Backman. Also a book club pick. I laughed. I cried. I want to read it again.

13. An Occupied Grave by A.G. Barnett. Good old-fashioned who-done-it, first in the series of Brock and Poole mysteries.

14. A Staged Death by A.G. Barnett. Second in before-said series.

Like I said earlier, I feel like there were a couple more - definitely a couple I started but haven't finished, either. Well, we all know there will be more books read soon. 

Right now, though, it's time to put on the old bathing suit and head out to the actual pool - those PT exercises are much more fun in the water. So, if you're out and about in the next few days, stop on by the Stress Pool - it's open rain or shine. Until next time!

Oxymorons

 Greetings, fellow swimmers! 

You may be wondering about the title of this post. Of course, you all know what an oxymoron is, but just in case you've forgotten, it combines two contradictory words to create a paradoxical or ironic effect, used for emphasis, humor, or to provoke thought. One of the biggest oxymorons I've encountered is - are you ready for this? 

Reality Television.

Really?

Can anyone out there tell me anyplace on the thousands of television channels and streaming services out there where anything is real? Television was never real, not since the very first program aired.

I don't even believe anything in the news is real anymore, but let's not go there!

Being retired now for several years, DH has found many interesting things to do with his time. He has volunteered for the Pittsburgh Literacy Council, working with adults, which he really enjoyed. He just didn't enjoy riding into the city every week, especially through the winter, so he finished that and moved on to helping with the food bank once a month. He does still do that. He was learning Spanish, more to keep the brain juices flowing. (He also once said that he felt it important to be able to ask why he was being taken to jail? but I don't think I want to know why. I felt it more important to find out what time the train is expected, and where is the bathroom!) But, this is also on hold for awhile - although he has taken the name of a Spanish tutor from the library. And now?

Now, he's all about reality television! He looked at me just the other day and said, "I think it's a sickness." I didn't disagree.

One of the shows is called 'Traitors' - and if you've never watched one, they can be highly entertaining. Our first was a season hosted by Allan Cumming, who is fascinating. If you really like it, then you can watch the other two seasons. It takes place in a 'castle' in Scotland, and features mostly American celebrities from American reality shows, like Real Housewives and Survivor. There is also a version from Australia. And the UK. And New Zealand. Yes, he's watched them all.

Then came Trust; Alone; some other survival show; and now, he's jumped into Squid Games.

Sometimes I'll watch an episode with him, or part of one, just to spend a little time together - but I draw the line at Squid Games. Those people with the creepy outfits with one goggle eye who don't speak - no thank you. Not even remotely interested! While I realize that nobody actually gets hurt, I just don't like the premise. Not my idea of entertainment.

Think about it: where is the reality in any of these shows? Many of them certainly are experiments in social behavior - you kind of wonder if they were thought up by some doctoral student of sociology, working hard on that PhD. Truly, though - how can you call a reality show 'real' anything? Who came up with the term 'reality television' anyway? And, why are people so addicted to them? What is lacking in our lives that we have to watch other people's misfortunes? Or, shallow loves gained and lost? Is this giving our youth a normal picture of what love actually is?

I'm not judging people who watch reality television - after all, sometimes you just want to watch something mindless. I watch Survivor - only because there is a group of us who put down $10, pick a name out of a hat, and the winner takes all. If I wasn't playing, I probably wouldn't watch.

No, my reality is here in the Stress Pool, where staying afloat can be problematic enough. And, I'm happy to report that the real pool is also open for the summer. I know it's the real deal, because the water is freezing, and the days really aren't hot enough yet to warm the water. It is much nicer, though, to come home and see the pretty sparkling blue water than that ugly gray-green cover full of leaves. 

So, if you're in the neighborhood, stop by for a refreshing dip and we'll talk about reality - whether it's in real life, or a television show! 

Are You a Turtle?

 Hello, fellow swimmers, and welcome to the Stress Pool!

You're probably wondering about the title of today's blog. I joined a service sorority when I was in college - nicest group of young women you'd ever want to meet, and we participated in a lot of service projects. Of course, we also liked to socialize. In the early part of being a member, I quickly learned that if one sister looked at you and asked, "Are you a turtle?", the appropriate response was "You bet your sweet a** I am!"

Now, I have no idea how it started, or what it meant, but DH thought that was the most amusing thing he's ever heard. Every so often he'll ask me the question, and of course, I provide the appropriate response.

But, am I?

Now that the hip is on it's way to better healing, it's time to look at all the other things that start going or wearing out once you've hit your sixties. I go see the breast specialist soon (no, I don't really think there's anything serious, but one wants to rule out the junk). The sonogram had shown dilated milk ducts. The question asked of me that day was, "Did you nurse?"

5 times. Yup, so who's surprised? Nobody.

Then, there is the blood test that my PCP wants me to have done for inflammation, which apparently is high. When the technician from the office called to ask some questions, it was before the hip surgery. "Do you have pain or swelling in your joints?"

"I have arthritis in my feet, knees, hips, back and hands, so yes, I have joint pain. But, no swelling," I told her. I needed a new hip, for crying out loud! I recently learned that you can get arthritis in your head - I'm sure that isn't too far off for me! So, they sent me a script to have some blood work done to check on the inflammation. The surgeon's PA said not to get it yet, because the surgery will mess with the numbers. Made sense to me. I decided to take a closer look at foods that reduce inflammation.

This is where turtles come into play.

Did you know that turtles love kale? Did you know that kale is an anti-inflammatory food? Do you know who despises kale? This girl, that's who. I once had some in a salad that someone had made - and it was really good! I asked her what the secret was.

"You have to massage it," she explained.

I would love a massage - but I'll be dog-gonned if I'm going to massage my leafy greens! However, spinach is on the list, and I do like spinach. In fact, I like most of the foods that are on the charts - except chick-peas, and I can't do seeds because of gastro issues. (aging isn't for sissies...) 

The question remains: Am I a turtle?

Stop by the Stress Pool anytime. I'm also happy to report that the pool people will be here in the middle of May to open up the real pool, so feel free to stop by then, too! Bring your favorite beverage and a towel, and we can talk about anything that's on your mind - and yes, you can ask me the above question, to which I will automatically reply,

"You bet your sweet a** I am!" Just please, don't give me any kale!

Will you still need me, will you still feed me...

 For those of you who know us, you'll remember that DH is around eight years older than I am. One day he said to me, "You know, when I married a younger woman, I figured you would be in much better health at this age!"

Well, we all do what we can with what we have, right? There have been a few health issues in the last couple of years - the latest being the hip. I never knew what a friend I had in Celebrex until I couldn't take any the week before surgery. Now that the new hip is in place, yes, I still have to take the Celebrex (which helps all those other arthritic areas, too!), but the leg and back pain are gone. Yippee!

But, just so you all don't think that this has been a walk in the park, let me catch you up to speed.

There are morning exercises. There is getting washed. There is icing the hip after exercises and a few other times during the day. There is a repeat of the exercises sometime in the late afternoon/early evening. There is walking laps around the first floor every hour or so. There is taking the steps once, but not more than twice a day (we just added that!) There is sleeping - or trying to, anyway. I'm not a back sleeper, so this has been the biggest challenge. I've gone from recliner to love seat to the bed, sometimes all in the course of one night. I've eliminated the love seat, but usually end up in the recliner by morning. DH joked with Ms. Business and Moink the other night, and asked if they wanted to put bets on "Where will mom wake up in the morning?"

There is the putting on of the 'special stockings' that are supposed to keep me from getting blood clots. DH has to help me put them on because I can't bend that way yet- it's like trying to put a sock on a tree stump. One day I said, "Why don't you put them on the way you did yesterday? That worked out great."

He stood back and scowled. "I'm seventy-two years old. I don't remember how I did it yesterday!" Between you and me, he doesn't always put them on the same way from one leg to the other!

He is precious to me, you know. And, what a trooper he's been! The first few days he was so attentive, just waiting for me to show the first sign of independence. Then, with relief, he was able to back off. He's still attentive and caring - but glad not to have to be at my side every moment of the day! I asked for scrambled eggs the first morning - you would have thought I'd asked for eggs benedict! (he made them perfectly, by the way, but he was not overly confident in cooking them!)

This entire experience has been difficult for Simon, the cat who, when I came home from surgery, avoided me like the plague! It was almost like he could tell something wasn't quite right, and he wanted no part of it. Several days passed before he finally crawled up into my lap, careful to avoid stepping on the wound, but laid down on top of it and just purred and purred. I think he was trying to heal me! While Simon wouldn't let me touch him, he followed me around those first few days and nights, like my little sentinel - I just don't know what he would have done if something had happened! Sat in the hallway and sing the song of his people, more than likely!

Now, I'm just chopped liver. Sometimes he wants me, but mostly he wants Ms. Business (the favored human). Par for the course, I think.

With each day comes more healing, feeling better. A friend asked if I had walked down the street yet. Laughingly I said no, because I would have to cross the street first to get to the sidewalk, and I'm not fast enough - it would be like playing real live Frogger! (I don't want to be the crushed frog in the road.) I have, however, enjoyed watching Spring slowly make her way in. The forsythia and the daffodils are blooming, and the lawns are getting greener. The mourning doves are back, as are the crows. Getting fresh air whenever I want - and using the bathroom whenever I need to - now, that has been heavenly!

Hopefully I've given you a slightly humorous glance into the early days of healing from a hip replacement. After all, humor is the best medicine! Have you ever heard of or watched Gabriel Iglesias (a.k.a. Fluffy)? He's one funny dude, and great for a laugh!

On behalf of the crew here at the Stress Pool, I would also like to take a moment to thank everyone who has sent well-wishes - you've truly made this easier on all of us!

Get ready for summer in the Stress Pool - and the real pool - water aerobics for all! We'll talk about what ails us, and what doesn't ail us, and what we'd like to do with our time. Can't wait to see you!

What's in a Name?

 Happy Holidays! Here, on the fifth day of Christmas (no, there were no golden rings given! There also haven't been any birds, nor am I anticipating drummers, dancers, or maids-a-milking), I sit contemplating the last year. A friend (BFFB's brother, Tom) told me last week that he has a mantra for the New Year: Shut the F-ing Door on '24; Stay Alive in '25! Have to say, I couldn't agree more. What with losing Barb in January, cataract removals in the summer, and finding out that the right hip is a mess and needs replacing - yup, I'm ready to turn the page!

But wait - there's more.

One of the other 'delights' of the year has been finding out that I have sleep apnea. Severe, obstructive sleep apnea. (According to the nurse at the sleep study center, everyone in the world probably has sleep apnea!) Lucky me, I was graced with my machine on December 23rd. Merry Christmas! However, wanting to do things right, I didn't use it right away, as you're supposed to put distilled water into the reservoir. DH doesn't put water in his, so we didn't have any, and Christmas was upon us. I waited until I could get to the store on the 26th.

What you may or may not know about me is that one side of my family was famous for talking to inanimate objects. There is a story told to me by our friend Cindy Tee about when she worked with my grandmother in the notions department in a store called Mansmann's - Grandma was talking to the spools of thread as she placed them in their compartments, and there was high hilarity when Cindy Tee and Mike realized that I was related to "The Thread Lady"! I've inherited that trait - so much so, that I go one step further and name them. For instance, cars. My last car (red) was named Ruby Jolene. My current ride is white, and so is named Winter (DH helped with that one. We were watching Game of Thrones at the time, and he said if we named it Winter, whenever they saw me driving down the street, they could say "Winter is coming." If you weren't a GoT fan, sorry, this is completely lost on you!) I have a heat massager that I've named Sven - yeah, think of the imagery: tall, blonde Swede with strong hands. So, of course, I named the C-Pap machine. But, once again, there is a movie reference.

One of my all-time favorite movies is 'Love Actually'. If you've never seen it, try to watch it sometime. Big names star in it, like Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth...and the list goes on. The movie begins with 5 weeks to go until Christmas, and covers several people/couples who are in various stages of relationships. Colin Firth plays a writer named Jamie - and, without giving away too much, is completely down on his luck in the love department. He meets a girl who speaks no English (Aurelia is actually hired to clean and cook for him while on a personal writer's retreat) and he speaks no Portuguese, but it is clear they are becoming fond of one another. With just a couple weeks to go until Christmas, he learns a few phrases and words in Portuguese. We get to Christmas Eve, and he shows up at his sister's house, arms laden with presents. The whole family greets him at the door, and he gets this epiphany that this is not where he wants to be at this moment: he wants to be with Aurelia. He puts everything down and says he's got to go, that a man's got to do what a man's got to do - and he turns and walks out. One of my favorite lines, which you might miss but makes me laugh each time, is when one of his nephews yells, "Hate Uncle Jamie!"

So, the C-Pap machine on my nightstand is named - you guessed it - Uncle Jamie. We are developing a relationship, but the first night was quite rocky - three and a half hours total. It's gotten better, but my goodness, dating was way easier! When DH asked me the first morning how it went, I told him what I named it, then said, "Hate Uncle Jamie!

And no, I'm not going to tell you if he got the girl - you'll have to watch the movie! It really is a good watch.

As usual, I'm not making any New Year resolutions - the mantra stated above says it all, right? Shut the door on the past hurts and sorrows, and look ahead to the future. Don't let the troubles of the world get you down - yes, there is a lot of craziness, but what if we can clean up the little area around us? With enough tidying of our own corners, and reaching out to our fellow humans, we might find a little happiness within. Wouldn't that be a nice glow to shed on the darkness of so many hearts? A smile to lift a fallen spirit; a helping hand to our neighbors in need. We just need a little peace in the face of adversity.

I would like to think that the Stress Pool is a place where we can feel at peace - sort of like those floating spas! Come on in whenever you need a smile, or a helping hand, or an ear to listen. We're always ready for a little fun splashing in the Stress Pool! And no, I have not named the towels...

Happy New Year!

Turtles on Tuesday

 There is just something about turtles that makes one smile. Is it their carefree attitude, or the semblance of a smile on their little turtle faces? I don't know, but I just love them. When I was in college, my sorority sisters (yes, I was in a sorority - it was a service sorority, but we did like to get together for parties, too!) had a thing where if someone asked you, "Are you a turtle?" the instant reply was, "You bet your sweet a** I am!" This is something that DH has found immensely amusing through the years, and every so often he'll ask me if I'm a turtle. Of course, I have to say the correct answer, which makes him laugh.

There is no great meaning in this what-so-ever.

However, I do like turtles. I've got a turtle pin (but material isn't such one wants to stick a pin in it because it might ruin the outfit), and several years ago I found turtle earrings in a little shop in Williamsburg. I love those earrings. But, it seemed I would wear them on Tuesdays - why? Who knows! It must be the day I head for black clothing - the earrings are black and silver. Very attractive. It must have occurred to me once a while back that if I wore them on a Tuesday, something odd would happen during the day, so I stopped wearing them, period.

This morning I reached for the beloved turtles, then pulled my hand back. "It's Tuesday," I muttered under my breath. Then, I stopped. I'm not a superstitious person by nature, and decided I was acting ridiculous. I put them on, smiled, and went on my way.

Nothing major happened all day, until after lunch. I had cafeteria duty, and when it was done, walked back to my room. The sixth graders came in and got out their work. I do try to make my way around the room, checking on their progress, and making sure that everyone is behaving. On one of the passes around the tables, a terrible stench hit my nose. My first thought was, "Geez, what did those boys have for lunch?" Every time I went by, it smelled a little more, and I felt bad for them. They left, and another class came in.

This time it was a group of fifth graders. One of them had gone to use the pencil sharpener in the back of the room, and called out, "Mrs. Kelly, there's icky water in the sink." 

I stopped what I was doing. The gross smell - not one of the kiddos with toxic gas, but some sort of back-up slowly rising in the sinks. I rushed (as fast as an old woman with a cane can rush) to the phone, when I noticed it was seeping out from under the cabinets and headed towards my desk. I called the secretary. No answer. I tried again. Again, no answer. I left a message to call me quickly, there was a problem with the sinks.

After letting the students know they shouldn't go near the sinks, I continued helping them with removing weavings from looms and getting started on the next project. I reached for the phone once more, and this time reached her, when she said, "I can't talk right now - I'm calling kids down for early dismissals. I'll call you back."

I looked at the increasing flow of icky water headed for my desk. I took one of my trusty post-it notes and wrote on it, "My room is flooding and there is sewage water coming up through my sinks." One of the students was more than happy to get out of the room to deliver the note. She sent the custodian down - nice young man, but has difficulty problem solving. He brought stuff to pour down a drain if it's clogged. "I don't think that will work," I said.

"No, this works."

I shook my head. "The sink isn't clogged. All of the sinks are backing up, and there's water coming out from under the sink."

Then, we did the worst thing anyone could ever do in this situation: we opened the cabinet doors. The stench was awful! We looked at the water seeping out of the traps. He looked at me. "What do we do?"

Well, if I knew what to do...

"Someone has to come and fix this," I said. He went to the office for help, then came back with a mop. In the meantime, class was ending. I called the next teacher and asked if I could have class in her room, as there was a major debacle happening in mine. Kiddos came to the room for their folders, and I grabbed a few things to take to her room. It was definitely quite a different adventure from the norm. We got through it.

Nobody was going to come today to look at it - they'll come tomorrow. I'm thinking that I will be holding art in the library tomorrow, because the room will still stink like a cesspool.

Now, here at the Stress Pool, we're used to crazy things happening, and of course, we'd love to hear your stories, too. But, if you pop in on a Tuesday, don't expect to see the turtles.

The Leg Bone's Connected to the Hip Bone...

 Hello from the chilly, murky waters of the Stress Pool!

It seems things here must have been chaotic, as I haven't written in a few months. Well, let me tell you what's surfaced here at the pool...

Most of you might know that as an art teacher, being on one's feet all day is par for the course. You need to walk around and see how everyone is doing; some kids might need a supply that isn't out, and so on. Well, after the first week back, my legs and I became arch enemies.

The pain was (and still is) excruciating.

I'm not exaggerating - it's been bad. Both legs. In the past, my former PCP (he has since retired) had sent me for an MRI and it was determined that I had a couple back issues - mainly sciatica and stenosis. "That's what's causing the pain in your legs," he said.

So, when this started, I made an appointment with a back doctor, who had looked at me like I was wasting his time. ""We'll start with an EMG and physical therapy," he said. "Come back in six weeks."

Have you ever had an EMG? Painful, but the doctor who performed it was very calm and talked through the whole thing, so it kept my mind on other things. Toward the end of the test he said, "I think it's your hip. That doesn't explain the numbness, but I think the pain in your right leg is from your hip." When he left the room, he said it had been nice to meet me, and I said "It was a pleasure." He gave me quite a smirk - I meant he had been so kind during the procedure! Oh well.

I went to physical therapy. My therapist, Beth, had me move around, and asked me to get on the bike. I could only pedal backward, at which point she said, "I think it's your hip." She gave me the names of two orthopedists, because the only person I could think of is definitely a year out for surgeries, let alone getting in to see him, and she felt getting an x-ray of the hip sooner than later would be beneficial in knowing what to do. So, I called and made an appointment with one of the orthopedists she recommended, and got in to see him the next week. They took an x-ray, and then he breezed in. I swear, orthopedic doctors are the most chill people I've ever met. He introduced himself, then said, "Your hip is a mess."

I need a new hip. Sometime this spring I'll be going - I have to call 3 months before I'm ready for the surgery. Truthfully, I'm ready for it now, but sick days are the issue. I'm trying to work it so that Easter break falls in the recuperation time. Wish me luck with this!

When I went back for the 6 week check-up, though, the back doctor came in, sat down, and looked at me. "Wow, I really didn't think..."

Didn't think - what? That I actually had pain? That I felt something was wrong? How many people go to doctors when there is nothing wrong? A lot, I guess, for him to make that remark. The leg numbness, by the way, is a subcutaneous nerve - just under the skin. Massaging it helps a little, but it's going to plague me forever, I think. So, he was right - there was nothing stemming from the back - but there is pain. Working on it...

The best thing that happened so far this autumn is getting window treatments. We went with Lachina, a blind and drapery company here in the Burgh. Joanna, wonderful designer (and a third generation Lachina) spent a nice amount of time with us, asking us what we wanted, getting to know our thoughts, looking at fabrics and patterns, and of course, she had suggestions, with which we went for most of them. The installer came in early October to put up the valances (which I love, by the way), so DH moved the stand with all the plants out of the way so the fellow would have room to work. Now comes the funny part of the story.

We have been here for 3 years. That plant stand, including the plants, has been in that spot for 3 years. DH pulls it closer to the dining room table, and Simon (AKA Art Cat) looks and says, "Wait - what's this delightful playground that I've never seen?" When I walked in the door, my baby spider plant was on the floor, dirt everywhere, while Simon looked at me like, "Hi mom - I didn't do anything, but did you know about this?!"

He has tried to kill that spider plant I don't know how many times now - along with the Wandering Jew plant (which has a new, politically correct name now - Inch Plant). A friend gave me a pot with another spider and an Inch Plant, and I had to put them on top of one of the cabinets in the dining room. Imagine - 3 years, and he never noticed them before. Wow.

The Stress Pool isn't all about me - it's also about the family. Morticia has been telling me about her dreams of doing nail art, and I offered to let her do my nails - but we didn't set a date! Her little Sweetie Pie is growing so fast, and she's just so darn cute. Apparently, she doesn't like shoes. Whenever they put them on her, she takes a couple steps, then sits down wherever she is. She'll get used to them - or will wear Birkenstocks for the rest of her life!

Big Brother and DiDi said that the Little Man is doing well in Kindergarten- as only he could. He's kind and the other children really like him. Gym is his favorite subject. Takes a little bit after dad, I think. Mouse - well, she's just as cute as a button. She loves to dance - and only has eyes for PawPaw. She looks at me when we walk in, and then strains to see behind me. "PawPaw?" she asks. "PawPaw?"

"Yes, he's coming", I tell her. Cute, really.

Ms. Business is about to finish paying off her student loans - yay! And Moink finished book one of his series and has started book two - we have a few more revisions for book one, but soon it should be ready to send out to agents. Fingers crossed...

The actual pool is closed for the season, but the Stress Pool is always open, so come on in and dip your toes in the water, if you dare! What have you been up to? Any good stories? And, as always, thanks for visiting, and we'll see you next time here in the Stress Pool.

Here's Looking at You, Kid!

 Hello, is that you looking in at the Stress Pool? Good to see you again!

Well, sort of. 

Not that it isn't good to see you, but that you are just a little fuzzy. Let me get a little closer.

It has been an interesting summer, that's for certain. It wasn't awful; it wasn't great, but mostly because of the eye surgeries. I am driving again, and are you ready for the scary part?

In the state of Pennsylvania, you only need one good eye to drive, and that good eye should be 20/40 or better. So be assured, my good eye is 20/20!

Not the other one.

Yes, I did get glasses, and already I fear the eye has changed a bit and the glasses don't work. The eye doctor was pleased with how it went - it was really bad, and he said that sometimes an amblyopic eye doesn't bounce in right away, if at all. So, when you see someone going through red lights, or stop signs, or driving over the line, perhaps they don't have 20/20 vision in either eye! Scary, right?

So far, I've done just fine. With driving. I bought some readers for close-up work, and I'm still reading books with large print. Not as much strain that way, so I was able to do some reading. I'll get to the final list before the end.

We also got away for a couple days - DH and I went to Berlin, Ohio, which is Amish country. There are a lot of stores and plenty of places to eat. It was hotter than you-know-where! We brought home a peach pie - best peach pie I've ever had in my entire life. Ms. Business is also a fan, and agreed that it was second to none. We crossed through an area called Tappan Lake - if you've ever stayed there, let me know what you thought. I'm going to look into possible cabin rentals in the area. Just beautiful.

So, pool time (thank you 90+ degree days for heating up the water!), reading, and a little painting (but not much). Am I ready to go back to school? I would like to say yes, however...reasons.

Now, back to the reading list, picking up from where I left off in the last missive:

3 more Denise Domning books: Winter's Heat, Summer's Storm, and Spring's Fury. They feature some of the same characters from the other five books of hers I listed from June;

Of Fire and Lions by Mesu Andrews. We are going to see Daniel at the Sight and Sound theater in Lancaster in the fall. This book is a fictional rendition about the Babylonian exile and Daniel, and his family. Interesting read.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I like her books - gentle reads.

Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher. A take on Jane Eyre, the main character's name is Jane Aire, and the school where she teaches is for 'witches'. She's off to take care of a curse, and of course, we meet many of Ms. Bronte's characters, albeit a little twisted. A fun read, for sure!

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. This was a book club read - very good!

The Last Sister, The Silence, In the Pines, The First Death, and At the River, all by Kendra Elliott. These are from the Columbia River series, and feature a lot of characters from her Mercy Kilpatrick series. If you've never read Kendra Elliott, and you enjoy suspenseful thrillers, do it!

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. She's lived a lie for 10 years - you'll never guess what happens! I just finished this one today.

Total number of books for the summer: 21. No regrets on any of them!

Time to get out the alarm clock and make sure it's set to the crack of doom; pull out what I'm going to wear on the first day of in-service; and what am I going to eat for breakfast? There had better be a full pot of coffee, that's one thing for certain!

And yes, hopefully there will be a few more warm days to heat up the water in the pool, and of course, evenings on the porch. There is a light at the end of the work tunnel, but I haven't reached it yet. In the meantime, feel free to pop on in, because, as always, the water in the Stress Pool is always perfect, if not a little too hot!

Virtue vs. Gratification

 Hello, fellow swimmers, and welcome to the Stress Pool! My, summer has come with vengeance, has it not? You would think we'd be in the actual pool daily, but since the days have been so oppressive, and then evening thunderstorms following, well, it just seemed that staying indoors was the right thing to do. Then, there was the cataract surgery.

Yes, be it age or just the fact that my eyes have never been the best, the cataracts are ripe for the picking. I opted for the astigmatism correcting lens for both eyes, and the eye doctor said, "We do the worst eye first." What they don't tell you is that it might take some time before you can actually see! And boy, am I glad I didn't get this done during the school year, which was the original plan.

In this age of instant gratification, I thought for sure it would take a few days, then all would be normal. Nope. I've had the lens taken out of my glasses, only to find that my other eye doesn't adjust to the difference. It has made June very interesting, indeed. Patience is a virtue with which I've often had difficulty, and this experience has been no exception. I'm not prone to deep bouts of depression, but I did come close! I'm not one to sit too idly. and had been looking forward to sketching and painting. Patience, Wendy, Patience.

What you should be grateful for is that I am not driving - with everything being fuzzy, I'm just not comfortable behind the wheel. That means my family has to haul me around if I need to go somewhere, like the eye doctor, the allergist for shots, the pharmacy, and wherever else I need to go. (My eye doctor and I are getting to be great pals, LOL!) And, while I'm not one to meander through the mall, or shop a lot, that's all I've wanted to do, probably because I can't. This too shall pass. (At least, I hope so!) Ms. Business and I went to the parish flea market last week - yay, a trip out of the house! I found something I wanted for the studio, and a book of positive quotations called "It Isn't Easy Being Green" - a Jim Henson Book. Loved him. And, it was nice spending time with them.

Stipulations in the discharge papers:  "No gardening. No housework. No lifting anything more than ten pounds. No alcohol (although that might have been because of the anesthesia). No going away for two weeks after surgery. No swimming for a month." WAIT, WHAT?! Summer finally arrives and no pool? So, at the first post-op appointment, when he asked if I had any questions, I said, "Let's talk about the pool."

He chuckled. "We don't want you to get chlorine in your eye."

"I also don't want to get chlorine in my eye - ever. I just walk around the pool and float."

I was given the go ahead, but only after two weeks had passed. That would give me two weeks before the next surgery. Yay! I do intend to get back in again today and as many days as possible next week. Notice, I was not at all concerned about housework or gardening or lifting. DH and I are hoping to go away at the beginning of August for a day or two. My main concern is being able to see well enough to help do some of the driving. As for the alcohol, I don't drink enough to even think about that one.

So, what does one who cannot see do?

Well, I think I'm on the third season of Reba; I watched Disney movies for the first three days; Crazy Rich Asians is on Netflix (if you haven't seen it, please watch - it's one of my favorites!). DH and I have watched The Sympathizer (HBO - a must watch! There are a lot of subtitles, which was difficult for me to see, but I saw enough to get the drift); Bridgerton, season three; and Persuasion. Moink sometimes wants to spend some time with us in the evenings, and we'll watch Taskmaster, New Zealand. Wow, they hold nothing back over there, including language and what they show on television. It's bawdy and a hoot, and we are quite diverted when watching. Seriously though, I've never watched so much on television in such a short time in my life!

And, thank God for the person who invented large print books - as well as the Kindle where you can adjust the size of the font! The summer reading has begun. So far, I have read:

Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson - a mystery/comedy that keeps you guessing all the way through;

Simply Lies by David Baldacci - did not disappoint!

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett - wow. Well done, and I couldn't put it down. Very interesting.

Servant of the Crown Series by Denise Domning, which included, in order:

Season of the Raven

Season of the Fox

Lost Innocents

The Final Toll

Caught Red-Handed

It is a series set in medieval times which, interestingly, involve a Norman born knight who becomes what Briton locals call "the crowner", which later translates to 'coroner'. That being said, you can well guess at what he does - and where these adventures might lead! She has another series that involve some of the same characters, and I'll probably buy that one on the Kindle while I wait for other books from the library.

I am also proof- reading Moink's book - the first in his series. He's good. I hope he's able to get an agent and have it published. In the meantime, he's started writing the second book. 

So, three weeks into summer break, and I'm eight books in already. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some artwork in as the eye sight improves - I did finally have some success with a pair of cheaters, which is helping some. I'm wearing them now, and hoping that there aren't too many mistakes! 

The actual pool is refreshing, my friends, and maybe if you're in the area, you'll pop in for a dip, and we can talk about how you spend your time in the summer. And, remember, the Stress Pool is always open! Bye for now!

Updates from the Stress Pool

 Hello to all of you, winter-weary and ready for fun in the sun! The actual pool was opened this week, and is filtering out all the ick left from fall and winter - hoping to be able to jump in around Memorial Day. The Stress Pool, however, never closes, and is always ripe with all-things-life!

Updates: the heart monitor showed I have something called Ventricle Trigeminy, which means that sometimes there are a few extra beats in there. My doctor told me we'll talk about it when I come in for my next visit - he's not worried. Therefore, I shall not worry! But, talk we will.

Cataract surgery is scheduled for the beginning of June on the left eye - which will be quite the experience, I'm sure! I've been wearing glasses since the age of six, so being able to see things in the distance will be a treat, indeed. The second eye will be done at the beginning of July. I'm already planning my trip to the Dollar Store to pick up readers: a pair for school, a pair for the studio, a pair for the purse...and maybe one extra just because. It's a lot cheaper than prescription eye glasses! And yes, I know, I shouldn't plan on this - things can go wrong, We're just hoping and praying everything goes right!

Little Man is graduating from pre-school soon - can you believe how fast time flies? Mouse is working on walking (sort of - she much prefers to have DiDi carry her everywhere!) Big Brother said that they've entered the living room to find her standing up, but when she sees them, sits down and puts up her arms. She's no dummy, that's for sure! She also often looks at Little Man with an expression of 'someday I will get mom all to myself, you just wait'!

Then, there is the little wonder of Morticia and The Doctor. She's a wide-eyed wonder, truly. On track for all things developmental, also clings to her mother! Morticia came to see us and have dinner every Thursday this past semester, as The Doctor was teaching all day and we were a diversion. I would walk in from work, Sweetie Pie would take one look at me and burst into tears! (I think I have that same effect on some students, and I'll never know why!) This past Thursday, after weeks of this, I took her from Morticia as she packed up to go home, and not one tear. Not one! Yay, a small amount of success - and I'll take it! 

Everyone else here at the Pool is just fine and dandy - in just a few more weeks I'll be home for the summer, ready for a bit of relaxation, reading, painting, cleaning-up...my, the lists never end, do they? As always, if you're in the area, stop by for a dip in the actual pool, and we'll have some tea, or another sort of beverage, and you can renew your membership in the Stress Pool!

Monitoring the Heart

On February 2nd, Punxsutawney Phil promised an early spring, and we here at the Stress Pool were hopeful that he would be proven right - and by golly, we have been enjoying an early spring! Of course, on February 2nd, the hearts of those who live here were grieving, as BFFB left this earthly plane for the afterlife just several days before. To say it has been difficult would be an understatement, as she left behind a son, a brother, and a lot of friends who loved her dearly, as well as two cats, and a house with a lot of stuff that needed to be gone through. Fortunately, there were a lot of us who were willing and able to pitch in. Without anyone asking him, DH has been going to the house every week to put out trash that others have put together, then goes back the next day to pull the cans into the garage. He and others would go several times a week to help take care of the kitties, until about a week ago, when a loving soul took them into her care. 

BFFB, also known as Barb Riley, was my personal cheerleader. At the end of the week she would send a text congratulating me on making it through another week. While that sounds ridiculous, sometimes you just need someone in your corner, rooting for you, patting you on the back, making you feel like you matter. I miss that. I miss her.

It's been an interesting birthday week for me. We had the whole crew to the house on Sunday for a birthday celebration. Normally, I wouldn't have asked for that, but losing Barb kind of put life into perspective. You never know when your time will come, and celebrating life with the people you love means more to me now than ever. My heart was full that day, and still is - I loved seeing three generations of family all together in one place.

Morticia made a comment about wishing she had a camera to use when hiking with the baby, so I dug out my first digital camera for her. In checking an old SD card, I found pictures from when Moink made his first Communion, Big Brother's high school graduation, and a vacation to Virginia with Mima, Barb, and the rest of the gang. There were pictures of all five kids - one was exceptionally nice, that I would like to print. It did my heart a lot of good to look through and see more memories - a Stanley Cup trip to Detroit with Barb; one with her, her father Jack, and her brother Tom while we watched the final game of that series at their house. The Pens won that year. 

As far as the heart goes, I was "thrilled" to get a heart monitor this morning! What a way to celebrate another year on earth, right? For 3 days, or more specifically, 72 hours, it will be a part of me, monitoring the beats of my heart. I'm supposed to push a button if my heart speeds up, or I'm out of breath, things like that. (CT scans of my head and neck come at the end of the month. So much to look forward to!)

However, while the beat (of my heart) goes on, and the monitor will record them, I'm certain it won't record the love I feel for family and good friends, or the pain of loss. We tend to protect our hearts, yet it is in leaving the heart open we live life to the fullest. The monitor isn't going to record that, but my mind will. 

Stop by the Stress Pool any time, where we can share and make memories. After all, that's what life is all about, right? 

Resolutions Smesolutions

 Greetings, fellow swimmers, and welcome back to a new year of fun in the Stress Pool! Hard to believe how quickly time marches on, but there you have it - a full week into 2024. I don't make resolutions anymore. Not sure if it is due to age, or the fact that by February they've been swept under the rug! Do you still make them and, more importantly, are you able to keep them? While I don't actually do the "I want to.." thing, there are certain things I strive for:

Moving my body...I mean, I know what I have to do. Keeping the arthritis at bay is a struggle. Planet Fitness tells me I have until Friday to decide to get in on a great deal - until the next one, of course! It's just the whole idea of going, especially in the cold and dark of winter! 

Studio time...now, that is something I have been doing this week! My Mentor (aka Donna) and I are going to check in weekly to share what we've been doing in our prospective studios, and I was actually able to do that this week! Looking forward to the days where I'm not 'carving out' time to paint.

Family time...scheduled weekly! Someday it will be easier to devote more time, but for now, knowing there are certain days I will see my cherished darlings is gold.

Reading...goes without saying. Just finished our book club pick, "The Measure." Thought provoking: what would you do if offered the chance to know how much longer you have to live? Would you want to know? What would you do with your time? Good read! (For the record, my answer is no, I would not want to know. Take one day at a time!) Then, I read "When I Was You" by Minka Kent. Wow! Couldn't put it down. I would say we're off to a good start!

Writing in the blog...Yes. The best laid plans of mice and men...Here's hoping I'll get at least one post a month!

Here at the Stress Pool, everyone is well and smoothly gliding into 2024. We wish all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. May your days be anxiety free, filled with a laugh or two, with some kindness to and from all sprinkled in. And, if you want to chill out with us by the pool (or the fire, inside of course!) you know where we are!  

 

Snakes on a Trampoline

 Greetings, fellow swimmers, and welcome back to the Stress Pool! You may be wondering about the title of this latest segment, and I'm happy to say there is no better sound in the world than "Nana, watch! Watch!"

It has been a fast, yet full, summer. June was a little rainy and cool, so there wasn't much actual time in the pool - but we did find that July dawned hot, and humid, and rainy! However, there has been a lot going on here, so let me catch you up to speed. 

Little Man spent an afternoon here one day - I wish it could have been more, but they had a busy summer, too. Suffice it to say, he is a VERY BUSY 4 YEAR OLD! Recently, we were over at their house, and Little Man was slinging his stuffed (very long) snakes over the top of the trampoline, each time yelling, "Nana, watch!" It's just lovely sitting back and 'just watching'! Someday, I will retire, and will do a lot of 'watching'.

Speaking of just watching...Morticia and the Doctor gave birth to their first child- what a little peanut! She is, of course, just as adorable as anything. I had the pleasure (I'm sure this is where some of you will go 'ew' over your shoulder - I did not feel that way!) of being present for the birth. I've never seen it from this side of the world (I didn't wear my glasses during any of the deliveries of our five!), and what an experience! She arrived just on the other side of midnight in mid-July, and what a change there has been in just a month.

DiDi and the kids were visiting her family out of state, and what a change in Mouse! Seven months old, and she has quite the personality. Of course, I could go on gushing about the grandchildren for days...as, I'm sure, can many of you!

DH and I got away for a night to Lancaster - we went to the Sight and Sound Theater to see 'Moses'. It was good - we enjoyed 'David' more, but still had an enjoyable time. The weather was wonderful, and are hoping to go back next year to see 'Daniel'. We also found out some info on the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, and considered for a brief moment about going this year, but will wait until next fall. It looks like a really nice venue, and who doesn't like hobnobbing with knights and royalty?

There was a little more artwork, and a little swimming, and some weeding of the front garden - which also brought with it a nice case of either poison ivy, or poison oak. Whichever it is, it's been since August  4th when I saw the first two dots (I thought they were bug bites!) It became full-blown, and I mean full-blown, to where I am finishing a prescription for prednisone and look like I have some horrible skin disease! Standing in the cool pool water actually feels pretty good! Sadly, pool days are beginning to dwindle...while it warmed up considerably yesterday and today, we also started in-service today. So, yeah.

Now, for the Summer Reading Round-up! 14 books this summer - a record! They are, as follows:

1. Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah

2. Fly Away - Kristin Hannah.  These two go together, and were a fine read. I started watching the Netflix show, and got through about five minutes before I said, "Nope." I truly dislike when directors and producers completely change a story! Save that for the really awful books that might have a semblance of a good idea, but aren't well written!

3. Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult; looking from both sides of a school shooting, and makes you really think about bullying and how it affects the everyone involved. I just love her writing - the research Ms. Picoult does for each book is phenomenal.

4. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult; would you be able to have a child in order to keep another child alive? Hmm...

5. Heartburn - Nora Ephron.  Funny book - we had just finished watching "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel", and I imagined Miriam Maisel's voice as I read the book, which was helpful. I hear the movie is funny, as well, and hope to watch that sometime soon.

6. No Exit - Taylor Adams. Suspenseful thriller - read it. Don't watch the movie - it sucked.

7. Stillhouse Lake - Rachel Cline, and 8. Killman Creek, also by Rachel Cline. They are the first two books in a series of six books, but DH and I both agreed the actual story wraps up nicely after book two. However, if you look into these, and you move on to book 3, let me know what you think.

9. The Clutter Corpse - Simon Brett: a fun, quirky read that is very UK. The writer has won numerous awards, and easy to see why.

10. Dead Sexy - Cameo MacPherson. Another fun read - very light hearted with a lot of witty comments, with zombies and nymphs galore.

11. The Summer Girls - Mary Alice Monroe. A paperback I've had sitting around for a long time, and decided it was time to read it. It would have made a great beach book. If you want it for next year, let me know.

12. There's No Coming Back From This - Ann Garvin. Her latest, it just came out on August 1st. An interesting look at what goes on behind the scenes of making movies, and the people who make it all happen, and how a little positive attitude can help.

13. The Killer in the Choir - Simon Brett. Love books set in the UK, and with this one being a murder involving a choir - well, it just sang to me! 

14. The Maidens - Alex Michaelides. He's the author of "The Silent Patient"- The Maidens is his second book. Wow. Loved it - read it in a day and a half. I hadn't intended to do that, but there you have it.

One I didn't mention was "Hello, Beautiful", which was one of our book club reads for the summer, but it was my suggestion, and I had read it before summer actually started, so didn't count it. There are a few on my list of hoping to reads this winter, like Wolf Hall, and The Water Dancer, and My Dear Mrs. Hamilton. A book, an afghan, and a low fire in the living room, maybe a steaming cup of coffee...Without the pumpkin spice though, okay?!

So until those days, I hope you find a moment to stop by the Pool and tell me about your latest reads, trips, and family escapades. And, if the weather doesn't cooperate, doesn't a sit on the screened-in porch sound delightful? Maybe roast some marshmallows in the fire pit...you're always welcome here at the Stress Pool.