2022 - Glenn and Judy History - Week 5

On holiday in Hibberdene 

in Natal then, Kwa Zulu Natal now.

1978

Douglas

Angela

Dianne

And Gillian was born 3rd December 1978.

Glenn and Judy

Gillian

Fruit Salad Bursting with Nutrients

 When I feel that little ominous scratchiness in my throat...

I'll go on a boxed apple juice fast for two days.

Apple juice only, as much as I want, whenever I want it.

Many years ago I had a Visiting Teaching Companion 

whose father was a homeopath.

Her children used to come Visiting Teaching with us.

This one morning her son wanted something to eat.

She said, "No, only apple juice for you now."

I later asked her why only apple juice for now...

She explained that whenever they were heading for illness 

they'd go on for two days drinking only apple juice.  

I thought I'd try it too.  It works for me...

I've wondered about other juices...

I haven't found any others that work like plain apple juice.

I sometimes add a tablespoon of barley juice powder.

(Thank you Mary Ann Shearer "The Natural Way.")

(I used to use Barley Life.  

I could buy it easily not far from me here in Gauteng.

When I was in KZN I couldn't find it.

I found Barley Grass powder at Dischem.  

It doesn't mix as easily as Barley Life, 

nor taste as pleasant as Barley Life, 

and I adjusted quite easily and enjoy the same benefit.  

It's also less expensive.

When I got home I found this container of Barley Life in my cupboard.

I'm using it up after sifting and pressing it through the sieve to return it 

from it's lumpy state back into powder.)

And I also drink water when I'm apple juice fasting.

I'll drink good clean water whenever I want it.

I'll also be sure to rinse my mouth out with water after drinking apple juice, 

just to clear my teeth of any acid effect of the apple juice.

(I've tried the apple juice fasting when I'm well.  I can't do it.  

I remember going to the Doctor for something else when I was apple-juice-fasting.  

He looked into my throat and said it was inflamed. 

I didn't feel ill.  I knew I was "under the weather" but, I didn't feel any pain or incapacity.

My lungs feel extra clear, my breathing better than normal.

My joints are completely functional and free of pain.  

I don't usually have any more than a degree sometimes of stiffness.)

After two days or so I choose this fruit salad to eat for breakfast, on an empty stomach.

And then nothing else to eat for an hour or so.

This gives my body the chance to utilize as much as possible from the fruit 

for repairing the imbalances in my body as soon as possible.

Then I might have my breakfast smoothie for mid-morning.

(Separate post.)

Or just more boxed apple juice.  As much as I want.

Then a lettuce, cucumber and tomato salad with a boiled or baked potato for lunch.

Boxed apple juice mid afternoon.

This fruit salad is bursting with healthy vitamins and anti-oxidants 

in my opinion and my experience over many years.

(When I was a Boy Scout Cub leader, more than 30 years ago,

I remember explaining to those 8 - 12 year olds about basic nutrition.

Protein for building strength in the body

Starches for fuel, energy for the body

Vitamins and minerals for repair of the body.  

And... when your car is being repaired, it isn't being built or running...)

My fruit salad recipe...

Cubed fresh papaya, 

a quartered and sliced strawberry, 

10 or so blueberries, 

5 or so red or black seedless grapes cut in half, 

boxed mango juice 

and half a banana - sliced.  

Delicious!

I might do this for 10 days or so until my body 

feels thoroughly cleansed and healthy again.

I haven't been really ill for years.

Last time was when we were in England in 2003 when SARS was virulent.

I wonder if we didn't contract it there...

We were both really soberingly ill then.

And so there I've recorded this...

Partly so that if I can't speak for myself any more one day,

Someone caring for me can read this and know what my body is accustomed to.

What my body has become accustomed to...

And also partly, so that it may be of some use to someone, sometime, somewhere.

I believe we are nudged to what will be useful to us.

And when we come across information we "know" (recognise) the truth for us.

Humility...

Excerpt from the South African Association of Retired Persons (SAARP) 

newsletter  March 2021

“Without humility, you are unable to learn” Laszlo Bock  

HUMILITY:

Richard Feynman (American Physicist,) with his curiosity and growth mindset, certainly saw no shame in admitting his own limitations – and welcomed this intellectual humility in others.

‘I can live with doubt, and uncertainty, and not knowing. I think it’s much more interesting to live not knowing anything than to have answers which might be wrong,’ he told the BBC in 1981.

‘I have approximate answers, and possible beliefs, and different degrees of certainty about different things, but I’m not absolutely sure of anything.’

“The Intelligence Trap: Revolutionise your Thinking and Make Wiser Decisions” by David Robson

When I read this I thought 

"This describes me to me in the most accurate words I've been able to identify so far... 

how I honestly feel about... everything...?"

Then a flash thought... "Is this pride of another sort...?"

Perhaps.  I don't think so at this point.

I don't talk about my "not knowing" most things much.

But... there's little I honestly know.

I know, somehow, that God, my Father Heaven, loves me.

I know, somehow, that I'm a person of worth.

I know I honestly try the best I know how with the knowledge and capacity I have.

I know I tried the best I knew how with the knowledge and experience I then had.

More than that... I don't know.

I hope...

I trust...

I carry on.

And my life is good.

Every day is good.

I'm grateful for my health of body, mind and spirit.

I'm grateful to my core to live in these wonderful days.

Of course there are longings I have, empty spaces that I have.

And I continue on in gratitude and hope.

After visiting the Botanic Gardens on Tuesday and being with my Tai Chi class 

I drove home a back road way.

I came across a patch of Cosmos.

Oh, I love Cosmos!

Memories in abundance associated with travelling on holiday 

with our children each fading Summer.

I stopped.  I took some photos and just enjoyed the immediate Time Out Of Time.

What "New and Different" do I Need to Embrace?

Sunday afternoon – May 17^th 2020 

Last Sunday was Mother’s Day.

For our Sacrament meeting Doug invited us, starting with the youngest to oldest,

To say something about our mothers.

I was second last…

Words spilled out of me that I would rather not have said out loud.

Perhaps it was hearing all those “nice” words others had to say about their mothers…

Including me, Doug’s mother, and the mother Glenn’s children, me again.

And a couple of others felt blessed by me “mothering” them in some respect.

My relationship with my mother was complex.

Perhaps because she was complex, perhaps because I was.

Probably because we both were/are.

I didn’t feel like I had a “mother” in her.

I felt more like I was her mother than she was able to be mine.

I felt like I had… someone to beware of, be careful and cautious around.

I remember feeling frustrated around her, on guard.

I’ve spent a week searching my memory for good memories of my mother.

I thought I’d look back at my creative writing to see what I’d written about my mother.

Nothing there.

I started a blog about her…

I looked there – nothing that I had written, just records of her writings.

This I wrote about her:

"I honour my mother and all that she was able to teach me,

and all that I was able to learn from her,

whether she was intending to teach me at that point or not...

I trust my readers will enjoy learning more about my mother."

https://beatricephilippadrydendymondpowrie.blogspot.com/

Sigh…

In my daily calendar this week have been the words:

May 14^th – Believe in the inherent good of each person…

May 15^th – Each person, including yourself, has good points…

May 16^th – Seek out the good points of yourself and others and conditions will change…

May 17^th – Other people have the right to be different from me…

She was good.

She had good points.

I can seek out more and more of her good points.

She certainly has the right to be different from me.

She was who she was…

A product of her time.

A product of her family.

Affected by her thoughts, feelings and experiences.

On her own sacred journey through life.

And now to this week’s conscience-searing (for me) focus question: 

What ‘new and different’ do I need to embrace?  Is this the right time?

These words are a reminder that I am invited again to change my narrative about my mother.

Not only my outer narrative, but also my inner thoughts and feelings…

That will certainly be “new” and “different” for me!

I remember a friend of mine whose mother was decidedly odd.

He once said “From my father I learnt… and from my mother I learnt…”

I was shocked.  He had found something good to say about his mother.

(I think I tried this exercise before… I don’t remember what I decided at that time.

I obviously didn’t spend enough time re-programming myself…

So here goes – again…  “find something positive I learnt from my mother…”)

“From my mother I learnt patriotism, duty and the complexities of right and wrong.”

I’m going to concentrate on that.

Keep it short and sweet.

I’m grateful she was a Montessori teacher and trained me in that in my early childhood.

I’m grateful for all the family history she did – lots.

I admire her love of gardening and passion for trees.

I acknowledge her love for animals.

I’m grateful for her exploratory mind – it’s helped me to explore widely.

I’m grateful for her patriotism – that was a good example to me.

She was compassionate to the waifs and strays that came her way.

She was civic minded.

She was passionately vegetarian.

She enjoyed having people to stay – visitors and borders.

She enjoyed crocheting blankets for her children and grandchildren.

She enjoyed record-keeping and creative writing.

Douglas said “I remember her as a kind person.”

Yes… there was a kind part of her.
And - I know she loved me.
And - I know she did the best she knew how.

I remember “In time take time while time doth last; for time is no time when time is past.”

I remember “Be true for the sake of those who think you are true.”

I remember “Too much laughing comes before crying.”

I’m glad I was able to honour and respect her while she was alive.
(I think... I hope it looked like that too.  I hope it felt like that to her too at least some of the time.)

I’m glad I was able to be patient with her.

I’m glad I was increasingly able to think before I spoke to her.

I’m glad I made the journey to visit her and my Dad in Cape Town before she died.

She died suddenly at age 74 – four hours after having a painful stroke. 

I’m glad she was spared wasting-away and a lingering death.

I hope my “wounded child/teenager/woman” heals some more and that next Mother’s Day I can whole-heartedly pay my warm brief tribute to her to whom I was born.

I believe my Father knows what He is doing.

Therefore… there must be some wise and wonderful reason I was born as her first daughter, first child.

There must be some wise and wonderful reason she was my female predecessor.

I will explore more of those thoughts in my quiet moments.

******************************************

I just watched this/listened to this - Joyce Meyer has helped me along, and along day by day...
(The adverts are irritating...)
(The background music is too loud for me...)
But I've learn a lot from Joyce Meyer about enjoying everyday life...

Pastor Hagin follows her - I don't know of him...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4OL5L9W8ko&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3cn71vpziPlfzhelsXeMyUdsNr7-THmpCuEBsxmjIsAAIfpqZk7cOsY1k

What Changes Do I Need To Make?

Sunday Afternoon – April 26^th 2020 

Hilmar, you say “What a day…”  For us it’s been “What a week…”  

And, it’s been a good week!

Kayla’s birthday celebration last Sunday – lunch and afternoon/evening together at Doug and Nadia’s, we had Doug and Nadia, Ethan Daena and Cabryn here for supper on Tuesday; Ethan’s supper and opening of his mission call to Cape Town mission on Thursday at Doug and Nadia’s;

  

Doug and Nadia’s 21^st wedding anniversary, combined with Nadia’s grandmother’s 86^th birthday celebration supper here on Friday evening. 12 of us wandering there and here to rejoice and celebrate together… (Doug, Nadia, Ethan, Daena, Cabryn; Travis, Kayla; Nadia's mother Erene, Erene's mother Miriam (or Marion to some) and Erene's daughter Roisin; and Glenn and me.)

Along the way we updated ourselves with the current Corona Virus national information, and accomplished more property maintenance and development:  Glenn replaced a toilet washer, and another toilet fitting, took out our old shower in the other part of the house, cleaned it and replaced the shower – it was leaking.  I did more gardening and sorting, particularly in our outside storeroom.  Satisfying, I must say.

Monday – (Freedom Day)

And, here we are into the new week…

 It’s a public holiday here – not that it makes any difference...  J 

Not much change in our routines, just different programming on the radio programmes.

And now – on to the question to consider for the week…

What changes do I need to make?  Why do I need to make them?

I’m one of those who is making changes all the time as I realise I’m “off track.”

(Off the track I decide I want to travel on.) 

I wonder where I learnt that?

I think perhaps it grew into my consciousness?

I remember feeling at one point “Oh!  I’ve let my standard slip…”

And – “This doesn’t feel nice for me… What needs to be done?”

Also – “Oh!  Am I supposed to influence, if I can…?!”

And – “My children don’t take me seriously because I do not get angry…”

“I don’t like the way I sounded – to myself!  No matter how I sounded to him/her…”

“Oh Judy – that was a low blow… What on earth were you thinking when you said that?!”

“I acknowledge you have the right to behave and speak the way you choose…

however… you’ll lose me if you don’t find your ways to govern yourself better…”

“I claim the privilege of worshiping according to the dictates of my own conscience.”

“You also have that privilege to worship, or not, who, how, where and what you may.”

“I didn’t sign up for this…”

“This is more than I know how to deal with… who can help me?”

“Firm, fair and friendly… that who I am.  How can we live this together...?”

“I am a wonderful, worthy woman of God.  I deserve to be loved and appreciated…

I am worthy.  I am loved and appreciated… by many others.”

“I am your mother… you are my teenage child… 

I will behave in an adult manner no matter how you react and behave.”

“I choose my life and how I’ll be (within the bounds that I can’t change.
Or the changes I'm  not going to make.  You can pull out you want to, I'm not going to.)”

Of course… I was not always successful in the face of the voices and actions of accusation, opposition, provocation, and immaturity from within me to myself and others,

and from those outside of and around me.  

I could not be more mature than I was able to be. 

Neither were those around me able to be more mature than they were able to be.

None of us can know what we don’t know yet, or be mature than we can be at any given time.

Hopefully we’re all growing, striving, growing up.

Somehow or other I did not give up on those important to me, and they did not give up on me…

We learnt to respect ourselves and each other in increasing degrees I think?

I guess we learnt, and are still learning, to live, love, learn, set and keep rational and civil limits.

Hopefully there is some sort of worthwhile legacy of what we want to pass down to our future generations and what we want to let go of and not pass down.

And that “worthwhile or worthless legacy” does not depend only on what I, and we, decide.

I hope I keep on changing in ways that make me a better person and easier to live with.

What changes do you still need to make, and why?

I love you!

Mom / Judy / Gran Judy etc

Hymn (Number 240) made an impression on me when I was a child.

It continues to be deeply meaningful to me.

(I hope it is included in the new hymnbook currently being compiled…)

Know this, that ev’ry soul is free

To choose his life and what he’ll be;

   For this eternal truth is giv’n:

   That God will force no man to heav’n.

He’ll call, persuade, direct aright,

And bless with wisdom, love, and light,

   In nameless ways be good and kind,

   But never force the human mind.

Freedom and reason make us men;

Take these away, what are we then?

   Mere animals, and just as well

   The beasts may think of heav’n or hell.

May we no more our pow’rs abuse,

But ways of truth and goodness choose;

   Our God is pleased when we improve

   His grace and seek his perfect love.

Who/What Do I Really Love?

Monday afternoon April 20th 2020

Who/what do I really love?  In what ways is this good for me/not good for me? 

Last week was the week I made some cloth masks.

I hauled down plastic crates of fabrics gathered from projects and stored.

Short-sleeved shirts bought from the shop for Glenn are too short in the sleeves.

What I’ve done is buy long sleeved shirts and cut them to ‘longer short’ sleeves.

So – I had a bunch of sleeve cut-offs as well as loads of other fabrics.

The sleeves did for the outer layers of three masks, the other fabrics for the other layers.

I felt like using the striped cut off of one of my T shirts for the fourth mask.

I fiddled around with a pattern from the internet.

And in the end I made it my own to make it more comfortable.

So – here are my four masks.

I might make some more – I learnt from mine, and seeing the ones Dianne made…

And then it was on to thinking about our 71^st and 75^th birthday and also 50^th wedding anniversary - all on the same day…

Doug came and asked what we’d like to mark the occasion.

He offered for his family to make dinner for us.

That felt lovely!  I gratefully accepted.

Later I thought… I know what would be meaningful to me!

If his children (more technologically adept than I) would digitize my photograph albums…

He discussed it with them and they agreed.

Sigh of relief…

We enjoyed a lovely evening with them – roast dinner at Glenn’s request,

and vanilla cake with chocolate icing for me and melktert for Glenn for desert!

At a later time we’ll take off for a weekend somewhere…

And now to the question for the week:

Who/What do I really love? 

In what ways is this good for me/not good for me?

Well – I really love living my life. 

Isn’t this little lizard just exquisite?

And I paused a couple of times this week to enjoy a beautifully marked large moth and another time a smaller but still magnificent little moth.

I am amazed at the gorgeous detail in a flower.

Yesterday I sat and watched a couple of birds bouncing on the stems of the geranium outside the spare room window.

I love the sound of the wind swishing through the pine needles in the park opposite us.

I love the taste and texture of my breakfast fruit and vegetable smoothie each morning.

I love the feel of the cotton sheets on our bed.

I love living and learning.

A long time ago – it seems – I decided on ten priorities for me to concentrate on each day.  I wrote them out and stuck them in the lid of the plastic box that contains my makeup I apply every day.

 Each day I remind myself of what is important to me.  If/When I want to I will change my list.

“Do my best – most of the time” is really, really honest.  Sometimes I just do not want to do my best. I am ornery.  That signals to me that it’s time for me to take some “Time Out.”  Sometimes ‘sufficient’ is good enough, my ‘best’ is not necessary.  I try for enough for each “thing” I need to participate in, not too little and not too much.  I like the phrase “sufficient for my (these) needs.”

And – I have long wanted to become a woman of faith and commitment, wisdom and courage.

When I go to bed at night I want to have few regrets.

And, when I depart this life, I want to be glad to go and report rather than look back with regrets.

In what ways is this list and my daily life good for me?

It keeps me from being too distracted by all the fascinating and interesting things and people that happen upon my daily path.

Concentrating on my list of ten helps me have time to meander, wander and wonder, read something uplifting and learn something every day.  I enjoy my days because they don’t get too crowded.

In what ways might my priorities and my daily life not be good for me?

I might miss someone or something critically important for me to attend to… 

I hope not too blinkered to miss who or what is vital for me to see, hear, be a part of…

To each of us our own priorities…

Who/What do you really love?  In what ways is this good for you/not good for you?

Love

Mom / Judy / Gran Judy etc

Ooooh... Mental Health too...

Mental health is so important too -
I've worked long and hard in finding out and nurturing my mental health too.
I'm profoundly grateful for my journey and the men and women I have met along the way.

This TED material and talk triggered my remembering...



https://ideas.ted.com/dear-guy-supporting-others-during-this-crisis-is-exhausting-me/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=ideas-blog&utm_term=social-science&utm_campaign=social&utm_medium=referral&fbclid=IwAR2Vfd7rjfYT7N-l-5eCYIzBIbF5hL5sIc4obS4pxe849US5fS-AW9NjNng

I've learnt so much from TED talks!
Thank you TED.

Healing...

Wednesday afternoon – 8^th April 2020 –

Patrick and Angela’s 26^th Anniversary.

Happy Anniversary!

Some of My Thoughts on Healing…

I savored the General Conference this past weekend.  I feel spiritually pointed in the right direction again, refreshed.  I made my notes in one of my notebooks whilst thoughtfully listening to the prayers, talks and music.  I love our church music.  My notes will help me remember what made an impression on me.  I’m grateful for the technology available to me – and what I know about it!

And now about “worldly/physical” healing that has struck me anew:

Each night (almost,) since I came across the Addiction Recovery Program material in 2006, I have taken the time to read a paragraph or two before I go to bed.  When I finish one reading through, I start again.  At times I have attended Addiction Recovery meetings. 

ChurchofJesusChrist.org - type in Addiction Recovery in the search box.

Sometime along my life-journey I became aware that I am one of the ones who is at high risk of developing an addiction, or multiple addictions.  These are the typical characteristics to look out for.  The more of these one relates to, the riskier it is that one might accidentally or intentionally slip, slide, be curious, want to please, or fall headlong into some addiction or another:

·       Related to others who have developed addiction

·       Experiencing other mental health disorders

·       Adventurous and risk-taking

·       Disconnected and cautious

·       Obsessive and compulsive

·       Apathetic

·       Unable to self-regulate

For the record:  One can become addicted to substances, behaviours, thinking patterns, ways or responding, moods, and people that harm/sabotage oneself, others, relationships, society, animals or property.   Maybe more could be added to this list?  Anyway, as I understand it these days, the characteristics of addiction are - one loses perspective and a sense of priorities.  One experiences powerful physical, psychological and emotional cravings.  One habitually serves wrong/irrational/ illegal impulses and/or compulsions.  One slides to where one simply can no longer realise consequences, think straight and/or make one’s own choices – either short-term or long term.  

Of course there are degrees along the continuum's here…  I'm still learning...

Last night I was reading in the second step material in the section about Hope.  As I pondered the principle and re-read my answers from before, and what I have added in the 14 years in between, I became acutely aware of degrees of healing that have taken place in me through the years.  Little bits of almost daily “thinking on these things” have brought me greater personal peace, power and contentment.  Most days I am happy for most of the day.  When I’m not, I know better how to give myself a break, and go and find my balance and sane thinking.  I loved the “delicious” ideas that came into my head when I heard “When you have lost your temper, go away and find it.”

Another leap in my physical healing journey was coming across the book "Fit for Life."  I experienced after following the principles that instead of regularly sleeping 4 to 5 hours a night I was peacefully sleeping 7 and 8 hours a night.  My physical health improved dramatically.  I later came across South Africa's "Natural Way" authored by Mary-Ann Shearer.  I was able to attend a symposium in which she presented.  I now follow the Natural Way most of the time.  I am stably healthy.

I’m also grateful for putting certain righteous routines into my life.  I think living “in the world,” as we do, needs us to take advantage of, and use, the best resources developed by the world to deal with the problems that arise for us in the world, and I think our physical bodies are part of that.  I came to the conclusion some time in my mid adulthood that I was “so concentrated on heavenly things and was not of much earthly use.”  Not to myself, and not to most others either.    (By the way, I think our finances are also part of “this world.”  So are our properties I think, the places and spaces we live in.  Now that I think about it, so is the “work” we do, and the technology and media we use, as well as the furnishings, vehicles, clothes and makeup we think are so important.)  How much is sufficient for our needs?  How much betrays and distracts us from more important things – for now, for here – wherever we are right now?  

I belonged for many years to a WeightWatchers group (no more in SA.)  When WeightWatchers left the country I thought I could/would just “do it on my own.”  That lasted two months, and I knew I was rationalizing again, bluffing myself.  I joined WeighLess, a South African version of WeightWatchers.  I go every week.  I think WeighLess is a better programme than WeightWatchers, though I don’t much care for the name.   I also belong to a Tai Chi group.  I do at least one Tai Chi routine a week. It’s a relief to just surrender myself to being in the group and being accountable every week – and learning more too.  I’m grateful for the two group leaders and members.

I am very grateful for these, and my other righteous routines and holy habits I have put in place in my daily life.  With our  covid 19 lock-down now, the two group leaders are most diligent in checking in with those of us who belong to the two groups.  

What healing have you experienced in your life to this point?

Who, or what, might help you along your way?

Some good food for thought I think…

I love you!

Mom / Judy / Gran Judy

I love these Morning Glory flowers… but I do not want them in my garden!  They are a nuisance, they run rampant.  They are too much work for me.  So I take them out, wherever I find them. I saw these stragglers this morning.  I went out and plucked them, enjoyed their beauty, photographed them and put them in the compost. Near the Botanic Garden there is a piece of fence ablaze with Morning Glories!    I enjoy them as I drive past.

Reconciliation

Tuesday evening March 17^th 2020 midnight

You are all much in my thoughts this evening.
I am wide awake...

Sigh… How much has changed in one week!

We are in a stage of national lock-down here.

How are you doing with the corona virus pandemic?

It doesn’t really affect me much personally.

I’m loading with fresh fruit and vegetables – more than usual.

I believe this will bolster my immune system.

I’m fairly assured this will pass me by.

I still do the odd shopping when I need to.

I still have a lot of gardening and sorting out to do.

This gives me time to do it, and more incentive.

Our Tai Chi group in the Botanic Garden is 11 people,

and in the open air, so we went ahead this morning -

being sure to keep our reasonable distance from each other.

I love being there.  It’s part of my weekly refuge that enables me

to be human when I’m with other people at other times.

World-wide church meetings are suspended until further notice.

On Sunday we gathered at Erene’s home for a family sacrament meeting.

12 of us.  Doug, Nadia and three, her sister Kayla and husband,

Erene, Roisin (Nadia’s sister) and Erene’s mother, and the two of us.

It was a lovely personal experience.

Earlier in the day Glenn and I had our Sunday School discussion with each other.

This is the A4 poster I made in relation to Jacob 2 – our reading for this past week. 

And on we go – into this new week!

I think of you every day – and pray for you.  That’s what I do…

My roses are blooming gloriously this week!

An extra reason to think of you all – as though I need it…  I don’t.

I’m sufficiently reconciled and at peace with my circumstances of this time…

It’s all interesting actually.

Who would have ever thought…!

Sleep well.

I hope to now...

“Dream of me and you’ll have happy dreams.”

I'll dream of you and have happy dreams.

Love

Mom / Judy

In my on-going sorting out I found some of the big posters I have made… 

(Type in  "Posters" in the search-bar if you're interested)
(Or... here they are in the previous recent posts.)

I enjoyed making them, and I enjoyed seeing them again…

After the big ones I went to making small A4 ones that would fit in my journals.

Old Posters

I'm clearing and cleaning - I came across my posters of years ago.

I'll be sad to let them go... But perhaps it is time...

At least I can record them here.

A long time ago there was a careers day at Relief Society.

Sisters were invited to do a table display of their career.

I thought "I'm a Mother... that's my career!"  So I made a poster...

And I also did some hours of Community Service per week...

So that's the second poster on my display table.

Persuasion

Tuesday 10^th March 2020 – Cabryn’s 15^th birthday!

We’ve had lovely times today…

We celebrated well!  Nadia sees to that…

Thank you Nadia for sharing your gifts and talents with us.

Persuasion

It’s been a different week…

I think our being home is deeply settling on me.

Also – I’m used to wearing a badge, and now we are released.

That’s another kind of adjustment too! 

I’ve been thinking about who persuades me – or tries to persuade me.

Of course the media… of all types… all around all the time…

I’m pretty impervious to that.

It’s taken determination, and persistence, and now I can let it flow over me or past me.

Sometimes shop assistants try… but not for long.  I don’t take much notice, unless I am interested and want to know more.

I can see or hear, and politely stop, and stop them..., shake my head, look away, turn away, or switch off, in a second or so.

Not really any person tries to persuade me anymore.

I wonder why?

Perhaps because they ‘know’ by my body language or some other intuitive,

subliminal way that I’m not persuadable?

I remember I had a friend who was flirted with every time I was with her.

I wondered why no-one ever, ever, tried flirting with me…

when I was with her, or on my own, or with any other person.

Maybe I never noticed it???

Thank goodness they never tried.  I would hate to be a ‘target’ or ‘object.’

I love being mercifully ‘invisible.’

It was hard for me getting used to people trying to see what my badge was all about.

I felt very visible.  And I got used to it.  

And could intelligently and courteously engage.

I’m very glad to have served…  I loved the adventure, opportunity and responsibility.

And - I’m glad to be released – it was time.

I must say… very occasionally these days, chocolate, or cake tries to persuade me…

My body just works so much better with a little, or without them!

They have largely lost their appeal for me, hold on me…

It’s about time!  I’m nearly 75!

Who or what tries to, or succeeds in, persuading you?!
Is it what you want?

I love you all - my precious family!

Mom / Judy