Sticky Picky Icky

Drat!! This aging thing gets a little sticky sometimes. As many of you know I work with alot of "older adults"...(as opposed to young adults and regular adults...whom I also see in my line of work) but these folks have a set of issues that are somewhat specific to their age group, and that would be the over 70 crowd. It seems,that they are closer to the end of life, and that might not be true...we know not when our last moment on Turtle Island will to be.

Having said all that, I am aware that depression is huge, as are a variety of physical mishaps and maladies. It appears that the later brings on the previous, and the more depressed one is, the less likely they are to move around or "exercise", or want to eat, or even drink water...and that is an engine to a powerful downward spiral.
There is also a bad habit that crops up which I like to call "The Wall of Resistance". This means that what happens is that any new idea...such as even listening to music... and moving ones hips to that music (I'm talking big band music here, that lends itself to such an activity) is shot down before there is even the slightest chance for that idea to come to fruition.(Even without the suggestion of movement, I've noticed, it can be disregarded as worth anything...) I can understand that if a body feels like crap(or worse) it is hard to get inspired. I also know that if a brain can jump that track you might be surprised what a gain in strength might do to lift the spirits and help with the simplest of activities.

I have a client and friend who is now 95 and loves exercise (and competition.) She says that the reason she wants to stay strong is so that she can do stuff like open jars and turn over in bed. Very pratical indeed!! Another client who is 90, often is horridly depressed when I arrive at her house and because we have a good time giggling and talking as we do the exercising,(and then a little massaging) feels better after just one hour of time together.

People who are not strong often sit in a heap and shuffle along dragging their flesh from one place to another, and grumble about it along the way. Arghhhh#%^*&+

I just had a thought, and that is: perhaps with some of the clients that are so resistance to moving around we could start with isotonic movement, which means to just tighten the muscle(s), hold for a count of 5 and then move on to the next part. I might try this suggestion, of course with no expectation of results and not taking it personally if it is shot down, (and that is not necessarily easy)but perhaps we could encourage some circualtion and blood flow to those muscles that get tightened and released and that would be a start. As a matter of fact, I do this kind of thing before we do out meditation in yoga class and it does enhance the relaxation of the body....I'll let you know if I have any results that are positive...or not.

Good bye cruel winter

I've just had it with winter...and it's still December. What is a wombster to do!!!???  I spoke with my elder neighbor today and she, too is disgusted by this crappy snow/ice and the threat it poses to the upright, and those who would prefer to remain that way.

I am amazed at kittens, however, and that is because I went to T.'s house again today under the guise of massaging her and her mom....and there are 6 kittens in the bathroom. These kitties were apparently very sick with diaherra and T. was wonderful enough to see them through it. She came out of their bathroom this morning, declaring there was half solid kiity poop in there, (and saying maybe that was a sign that she was crazy cat lady because she cares about stuff like that.) But really, for someone who is as young and lovely as she is, it is truely a wonder that she donates so much time to giving her all to felines of all sorts, even babies who are on the brink of death. But there is something about baby kitties that melts me to the core(and perhaps makes winter ignorable). One in particular was so loving, just purred so easily and wiggeled and was a little slut that I fell in love. I know better than to even think of bringing any home, because of many reasons...but I may have to go back with just the intent of sitting and loving babies(I'll have to take my camera), but I think I will wait until there is no question that they are good and healthy.
I have done a tiny bit of remodeling to the Prince's palace and put a cardboard front on it that cuts out a bit of the wind I think and he now has more of a cubby hole to burrow into...but the racoons I think have taken to tearing out his bowl to look for food...it was evident that somone had gone and thrown his bowl on the ground and trundled onward...everyone has to eat I guess.

faces faces faces

     I am thinking back on the         fantastic face images I saw in Bisbee and how I was so engrossed with the artistic way of the town. I am being pulled there, if not in body, in spirit.  I know that I have some ancient history in that area from my own life(with my parents having been stationed in Ft. Huachuca, and having left their existance on the planet there) but there is something deeper that pulls me, maybe it's the land and how familiar that is, but the fabulous creative drive there also frees a part of me that is held in check most of the time...I feel that most folks don't understand how much it means to me to have full expression, but I felt a comfort in Bisbee that has been growing as I reflect upon it. Anyway, here are some of the faces that pulled, impressed, intoxicted and are some of my favorite libations I can guzzle and swizzle!! In fact I could be a total dipsomaniac;                                 swilling,   swigging,    and tipplerizing on art.

Triumph in the computer skill world!!

I am so darn proud of myself!! I somehow(I don't know really how) got photos from my trip to be in a folder that I can access for my blog. For people who have had computers in their lives since kindergarden(or before) this is no big deal. But for those who have only been working with computers for a decade or less this is not minor.
So what this means is that you will see more of the pictures I took, so you may want to go back to previous postings to see the pics that go with the text...hee hee.

I am excited to share, with who, I don't really know...but if you find yourself snooping around check out some of the photos...I think they are pretty cool.

merry flipping christ

It's the 25th of Friggin December and I'll be blown with the snow if it isn't just miserable out...all day. My friend from high school came over and watched us drink some sparkling apple cider and eat some really hard biscotti (he wasn't too hungry/thirsty...not a noontime party-er, I guess...)
He is now working for a (business that has several residences) home that has some mentally/emotionally unstable folks living there, I think he said three of them... and was up a good deal of the night cleaning this one fellow up from pooping on himself and  inable to sleep and being highly aggitated...which put him (my friend) on wake-up patrol. Apparently if a careperson can be at the home and sleeping they are paid minimum wage, and if they are up and dealing with the residents, then they get waking wages, (which seems like another example of employers taking advantage of employees and paying the absolute lowest they can think of. GGGrrrrr. Of course the caretaker has to sleep with one eye open anyway, in case something is brewing...I know because I've done that work before!! It's not such a lovely a piece of cake as one might think...and in fact requires limitless patience and observation as the residents are highly medicated and are apt to do some rather strange behaviors, even on good days.This is not to mention that the waking pay is under 10 bucks an hour and I'll be@)# $(*&)!#$%^ed  if some CEO at a hospital [or any other high income facility]...(and makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year) ever has to do anything that is remotely as stressful or gross in some instances....GGGGGGGrrrrr some more!!!!!) Anyway, my friend has been promoted to full-time work and will not be spending the nights with the residents, and that is good news. Finding employment even vaguely related to his socialwork degree has been way difficult. We really need to think this out more carefully as a society. We are very quick to fund any number of wars at exorbitant cost, but when it comes to being there for people with special needs, or really ordinary needs for that matter, we fail time and time again.

I wonder if Jesus was actually as compassionate as he is reported to be, what he would think of this whole situation and how he would change stuff so that it was keeping everyone's best interest at heart. Don't get me wrong, I don't pretend to know Jesus on a personal level,(however I have gotten the basics on him), but I often wonder about all the masses of folks who think he's the cat's meow and want to live in his example, (and they seem to be every flippin' everywhere), why are we not doing a better job taking care of one another?!

'twas the night before Christmas...

I am listening to the poor Prince who is down in the basement bathroom, being protected from the 2 degree low that we are forecast to have tonight.(When I called at 11PM it was exactly zero, and then the wind began to howl about 1:23 precisely!) He is very sad and yowling, which is odd for him. He is a very quiet guy. I sat and brushed and talked with him for a long time, but he still didn't seem to quiet himself. I may have to go read him a story after a bit. (He fell asleep when I read the Weight of Water...it's not a very riveting book...)
It has been a cold day all day and it seems like a great time for some vegtable rice soup. That would be a great thing to have for the carpenderman I share (heart and house)space with, since he has been busy doing a bathroom remodel for the last few days...
I have had a nice day of baking, and cleaning and having Lynx, my good friend over for some tea. We listened to Pandora for awhile and talked about Juda and what is going on with all our kids. Family tensions are running high for her and she is rather upset by all that, understandably. Family can be most delightful and trying at the same time. It is a good time to do some meditation and yoga I think. It is hopeful that the days are getting longer now ...life will be brighter in the coming months.

Morning Mist

I leave(Texas)tomorrow. This morning I got up and had some of that rocket fuel coffee and went out walking, further than perhaps I have before. I was attempting to find a place that has not been covered by concrete and pavement, and I did find a place like that a fence that has markers along it to indicate that it has been surveyed for future building. Fudge!! I did also find a big owl in one of the remaining trees very patiently waiting for a tastey morsel to show it's face. The mist and rolling clouds were lovely and nourishing until I turned to face the wind which is decisively bone chilling....but not too bad. I know I have to toughen up to survive at home, I think they are warming up at a bit, at least I hope. ( I also saw a coyote trotting along the fence early this morning, only this time it was on the house side of the fence and not the other side...looking for some cat for breakfast, perhaps. Someone's declawed cat has been missing for a couple of weeks, and I am supposing it was a good meal for those who are out on the prowl.)
Anyway, I found a little frog pancake on the road on my way home. Tires had rolled over it enough to make this once perky anphibian into a leathery chunk of debris on the concrete. One of the problems with autos is that the machine can roll on top of something smooching the life out of it and never know what it has just done. I sometimes wonder how badly the animal population has sacrificed it's memebers so that we as humans can travel as quickly as possible from point A to point B. I shutter to think what those numbers are...the body count would be worse than any ethnic cleansing that we have waged on each other. I wonder sometimes if I might be from another planet to give a flying thought about it. Hmmmm.