Friday, March 22, 2013

My Life


Several of you have wondered if I have anything to report on my life beyond having a new dog.  The truth is not much.  I haven't gone anywhere of significance since our trip to Chile a year ago.  My only sewing project was a white reading stand cover for Temple Micah's use during the high holy days next year.  My librarian job has finally gotten down to the maintenance level of 10-15 hours a month.  Shelter kids come and go, but my work there is much the same.  My creaky body is creakier than it ever was and I often use 2 Leki walking sticks when I have any significant ground to cover.

The only areas in which I feel creative are cooking and music.  The new CSA share arriving each Wednesday prods me to discover new ways to use things like rutabagas and kohlrabi.  I'm working on dinner for tonight -- a study in orange:  Swedish chicken salad above and butternut squash soup below.


As for music, the most unique pieces I have found come from listening to Sirius XM as I drive the new Prius.  Pieces like Farewell to Stromness by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (1980) and Bailecito by Carlos-Lopez Buchardo (1997).  I am drawn to pieces that suggest movement, such as walking or dancing as these two do.  I also continue to play gems recommended by my teacher Anadel, like The Seasons by Tchaikovsky -- 12 short pieces that are moderately difficult but worth the effort.

I have struggled to adjust to having an adult child living at home, tempering my tendency to  give advice and wondering whether or not this is a permanent situation.  Truthfully I see very little of him as he is up at night and sleeps during the day for the most part.  I want so much for him to be independent and happy, but I have come to realize that it is all very much out of my hands.

Lately I have spent a lot of time heading up a Temple Micah team called Aging Together, which is charged with looking at issues dealing with getting older.  We are focusing on several aspects of this:  establishing support groups for those who lose a loved one, looking at barriers to older congregants attending services (transportation, parking, hearing, etc.), and setting up a monthly lunch-and-learn program.  I was able to use by former career skills in selecting a sample of those 65+ years old and administering a survey to learn more about what people are thinking.  With my team's help, we had one-on-one conversations which not only completed the interview forms but established new connections with people who thought they had been forgotten.  I haven't quite joined this age cohort, but my time is soon enough, so I hope there will continue to be things that make me want to remain an active member.

Ari is proving to be a great host when people come over, so we have gradually started having guests for dinner and hosting groups like our book club.  He is much better than our previous dogs in terms of not barking or jumping obnoxiously.  He is a counter-surfer, so we constantly have to be on guard so as not to lose the main course to a dog.  But otherwise, he is content to sit around chewing on a marrow bone while we entertain.

I must remind myself to be more observant as I go through life.  I used to find some reportable tidbit every day.  I'm sure they are out there, but I seem not to look at the world through Blogging glasses these days.

Thanks to my few remaining readers who have continued to ask how I am doing.  I think of you often!

8 Comments:

Blogger Terry Grant said...

How nice to find this post this morning!

12:01 PM  
Blogger e said...

Well, Blogger ate my comment which was that everything you are doing sounds marvelous...I do wish you could give me some cooking lessons as I have never been more than passable in that area. Your temple sounds great too. Happy Spring and a wonderful Pasach.

5:44 PM  
Blogger Steve Reed said...

I think of you, too, Barbara, and I'm happy to see this update. I'm glad you're keeping busy with Temple Micah and all your other activities. (Somehow I knew cooking would be involved. :) )

I do think blogging heightens our awareness of details in our lives -- just the act of keeping our eyes open for some "reportable" tidbit, as you put it, serves a purpose.

5:23 AM  
Blogger Gary said...

Oh, Steve so brilliantly expressed my thoughts on this post (an amazing guy). I hope we can make time to get together this summer for a bit of music, food and laughs. I miss you!

7:38 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Terry -- Thanks for stopping by after my sporadic posting.

E -- I would love to cook with you!

Steve -- I'm trying to remember what it felt like to post every day. You always seem to come up with something interesting to write.

Gary -- I would love to see you this summer. Are we going to make music together (as in 4-hand piano)? Definitely some food and laughs.

10:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sounds like a full life to me!!
FL

5:13 PM  
Blogger Pauline said...

I had to laugh at your comment on my last post about whirling happily in the spring air. I love reading your cooking and "new doggy" posts. You are a much more adventurous cook than I!

6:23 PM  
Blogger Miami Party Rentals said...

Its brilliant.

Water Slide Rentals Miami

2:35 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home