We had coffee and scones and cake and it was quite a delightful few hours. G/daughter A and I lamented the fact that our football team is not doing well this year but most of the talk was lots of fun. K+B gave me a frangipani plant so now I have 9 of them. We gave her a Bunnings voucher as she is always buying something for their garden and, of course, she has a much larger frangipani collection than I have.
Over the weekend I sat and read what I had posted on Saturday and then chatted with Phil about it all.
We both talked about things past and how fortunate we both were to have been together for so long and have such great memories of past events in both our lives.
It was then we realised how many people never made it to a great age and in other cases, because of illness or accident, those that did continue to live were unable to partake of, and enjoy, many of the past-times we took for granted.
Yes, we are indeed fortunate. We will never be wealthy as far as money is concerned but money doesn't make for happiness and neither of us goes in much for material possessions to any extent. No, our happiness is in having each other, our little family and, even though our health is not wonderful, we can still both hear (reasonably well), see, talk, walk (well, Phil can anyway) and get on with our daily lives, albeit slowly.
I feel it did me good to get off my chest all I said on Saturday so I beg your forgiveness in posting what may have sounded a list of grumbles. Old people do that at times when feeling frustrated at their restrictions, so you have to tolerate them the best way you can.
While all this was going on EC sent me a wonderful email featuring a 91 year old woman and it was quite inspiring. I feel she has an advantage over me as she is a poet but that shouldn't make a difference as we must accept ourselves for what we are. The website is
https://www.facebook.com/newshour/videos/10154180279098675/ Whether you will be able to access this website I have no idea but it is well worth the effort. (River...I will email it to you as I am sure you will enjoy it. It is only quite short so not time consuming.)
She was an inspirational woman wasn't she? I hope I can retain/acquire some of her style.
ReplyDeleteAnd you are perfectly entitled to get your frustrations off your chest. It is healthy. And necessary.
Thanks EC, and for the email as well. It amazes me that I do feel much better about myself since all the scribble on here.
DeleteOh Mimsie ..... you are perfect just the way you are. We can't all be poets. I will check the web site out. What a lovey gift from your daughter. Frangipani's are so special. That is an Hawaiian one if I remember rightly. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that.
DeleteI think many frangipani come from Haiwaii originally but not sure about Madison White. There are so many varieties these days and it has become quite a cult here in the West.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteI don't thank any of us thought less of you Mimsie - quite the opposite in fact. Indeed, I find that blogging is one of the great ways of working through my thoughts and helping to get things into perspective! That was a great little link!
...and that frangipani looks to be a fine one. Glad you had such good company for mum's day. YAM xx
As said above to EC, I definitely feel much better and particularly so when I get such great support from my blogging friends.
DeleteActually I have to be honest; that is not the plant K gave me but Madison White does ave white flowers so sort of the right one. xx
Thank you so much for the email. What a wonderful old lady. Something for me to aim for, being 91. my old mother in law is 91 now too, and being well cared for by most of her family who live in the same town.
ReplyDeleteposting a list of grumbles is fine with us, if you can't get it off your chest here, where you have friends, then where can you?
I thought you would enjoy listening to that fine old lady.
DeleteYou said the other day your m-in-law was 91. Years and years ago I always said I would live to be 95. I wonder should I still aim for that goal?
All my close friends have been gone some years now and poor Phil has to put up with me 24/7 and family are too busy so I don't bother them too much. K knows the problems I have and she understands.