There are so many things I have not blogged about, I do not know where to begin. But having just finished reading my morning newspaper, let me start with the obituaries.
Now, I could talk about the use of high school graduation pictures for someone who dies at the age of 90, but, no. What really irks me is when a woman dies who has been married, there is no mention of what her maiden name was.
Whatever happened to using (nee -----)? Sometimes, they will tell you she was the daughter of John and Mary Doe. Not often though.
I wonder if whoever is writing the obit did not even know what the woman's maiden name was. I have discovered reading old Italian obituaries that sometimes the information given for parents was incorrect. An Angela is put down as Augusta, or the mother's maiden name is incorrect or even left blank. But at least they made an effort. My mother-in-law put down the wrong name of the mother for her half-sister, so I guess it still happens.
Last year a friend of mine lost her mother and I was amazed at the info in the obit. Turns out her mother had written it about six years ago just so everything important up to then had been included. When my ex-husband died several years ago, my son asked me to get information for the obit. Thanks to the internet, I found his patents online. I have thought that maybe I should write down what I think is important for my obituary. Unlike my friend's mother, I do not personally know all of the former Prime Ministers of Israel, but I have had a few accomplishments.
I used to laugh at my mother-in-law who always read the obits. Now as I age I find that I am doing the same. There is only one problem I have with that. With the last five deaths in my family in the past year, not one person had a printed obituary in a newspaper. So, if you are not on a call list, how do you know? The only reason I knew about one of them was because a Canadian cousin and I were talking back and forth online about our family tree. Come to think about it, that is how I knew about the two deaths in New York - another cousin and I talking on Ancestry.com.
Do you read the obituaries? I read them, but hate going to funeral homes and funerals. I have instructed my children not to have any services. Viewing a body to me is just too grisly. Maybe it was dissecting that cadaver in college, but dressing someone up after death is just weird IMHO.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Monday, January 13, 2020
Getting Out of the Tree
I've decided to take a short break from researching my family tree (more about that in the future). And in the interim, I've decided to blog. Well, it's either blog or admit that my blogging mojo has disappeared and close this site down.
There are dozens of subjects that I have not blogged about over the past year. My garden did not disappear, I just never got busy taking photos to share with you. No travel photos cause I didn't travel last year. So, sitting here today after a cold and icy, wet weekend, where do I start? How about with me.
The past year was not a bed of roses health-wise. (and last winter did a real number on the garden roses, which struggled all summer) About two years ago I was misdiagnosed with IT band syndrome. I had terrible pain in my right hip. I went through physical therapy and when that did not help I sought out a sports medicine doctor (the pain started in my yoga classes, so...). Turns out that the pain was caused by my advancing disk-degeneration disease in my spine. Originally diagnosed about 25 years ago, it truly started as a 'pain in the neck'. Now, I have lost a full two inches in height as the discs throughout my spine move closer together. There is no treatment.
It has been a real experience to learn to sleep on my left side after sleeping on the right side all my life. As long as I do not twist or turn my body to the right, the nerves in my spine do not get pinched and cause any pain. Or I can sleep on my back with a pillow under my knees. Who knew that sleep could be such work. And, obviously, no yoga and gardening is done very carefully.
And then there were the cataracts that suddenly became 'ripe'. Early last year I suddenly found myself having trouble seeing distances clearly. I have mono-vision which means that one eye sees distance and the other eye sees close up. I have learned to use that vision to my advantage over the years and avoid glasses, though my mid-range vision was not great so I did have them for shopping so I did not have to stand next to the grocery shelves to read labels.
Finally, in August, the cataract was removed from the left (distance) eye and everything was great. Until it wasn't. About two months later, just before surgery to remove the other cataract, my vision went off. Everything was a blur. The doctor thought the eye was swelling, but tests came back negative. Now, I have drops to put in twice a day to clear the vision. Except that they do not always work. So, I have back-up glasses to wear. Which means I need to remember where I left them. It's always something.
So many bloggers I follow talk about issues with their health or that of loved ones. Maybe it is because we are all getting older? When I talked to my doctor at my annual physical last month, she flat out told me that our bodies wear out. She is my age so I guess she knows how it feels. Misery loves company and all that.
Here's looking forward to better health in 2020. Yours and mine.
There are dozens of subjects that I have not blogged about over the past year. My garden did not disappear, I just never got busy taking photos to share with you. No travel photos cause I didn't travel last year. So, sitting here today after a cold and icy, wet weekend, where do I start? How about with me.
The past year was not a bed of roses health-wise. (and last winter did a real number on the garden roses, which struggled all summer) About two years ago I was misdiagnosed with IT band syndrome. I had terrible pain in my right hip. I went through physical therapy and when that did not help I sought out a sports medicine doctor (the pain started in my yoga classes, so...). Turns out that the pain was caused by my advancing disk-degeneration disease in my spine. Originally diagnosed about 25 years ago, it truly started as a 'pain in the neck'. Now, I have lost a full two inches in height as the discs throughout my spine move closer together. There is no treatment.
It has been a real experience to learn to sleep on my left side after sleeping on the right side all my life. As long as I do not twist or turn my body to the right, the nerves in my spine do not get pinched and cause any pain. Or I can sleep on my back with a pillow under my knees. Who knew that sleep could be such work. And, obviously, no yoga and gardening is done very carefully.
And then there were the cataracts that suddenly became 'ripe'. Early last year I suddenly found myself having trouble seeing distances clearly. I have mono-vision which means that one eye sees distance and the other eye sees close up. I have learned to use that vision to my advantage over the years and avoid glasses, though my mid-range vision was not great so I did have them for shopping so I did not have to stand next to the grocery shelves to read labels.
Finally, in August, the cataract was removed from the left (distance) eye and everything was great. Until it wasn't. About two months later, just before surgery to remove the other cataract, my vision went off. Everything was a blur. The doctor thought the eye was swelling, but tests came back negative. Now, I have drops to put in twice a day to clear the vision. Except that they do not always work. So, I have back-up glasses to wear. Which means I need to remember where I left them. It's always something.
So many bloggers I follow talk about issues with their health or that of loved ones. Maybe it is because we are all getting older? When I talked to my doctor at my annual physical last month, she flat out told me that our bodies wear out. She is my age so I guess she knows how it feels. Misery loves company and all that.
Here's looking forward to better health in 2020. Yours and mine.
Monday, December 23, 2019
I Haven't Disappeared
I haven't disappeared or really done anything exciting. Most of my time is spent reading old Italian birth, death and marriage records. I have over 7,500 people in my tree. But I did want to take some time to wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and whatever else it is you are celebrating at this time of year.
I have also been busy preparing dinner for the family. For the first time in many years all of my sons will be here for Christmas. Our menu is as follows:
I have also been busy preparing dinner for the family. For the first time in many years all of my sons will be here for Christmas. Our menu is as follows:
Poached Shrimp w cocktail sauce
Assorted cheeses, nuts, and
fruit
Turkey Breast
Stuffed Cabbage
Kielbasa w Sauerkraut
Pierogies
Peas and Carrots
Mizeria
Rolls
Chocolate cake
Cranberry loaf
We are scheduled to have temps in the 50's so these snowmen will have to do for now.
I leave you with this door that my lab partners and I decorated back in the mid-1970's. The three angels are the three of us who worked together in the chemistry lab.
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