Alzheimer's is dreadful, hateful, despicable disease.
On the bright side, I'm continuing to refer to Franklin's
Virtues; I've taken Laddie on a long country tour. Attended Tai Chi in the park and two night classes this week. Have practiced a couple of hour long Yoga sessions. Have made some progress on the Voltaire biography. Finished the blanket stitch around appliques and made the quilt sandwich for the table topper. Put away all Christmas decorations. Made copies of old pictures and mailed them to my niece. I've visited an open house (way, way out of the range of what I'd ever spend even if I had the money) and drooled over the beauty of the light and the courtyard. I've made progress in understanding how to resize and post pictures. Started an "uberlist." Haven't worried too much about my messy house and sewing room. Not too bad for the first week of a new year.Speaking of Virtues, Kim at SkybelleArts has done her Friday Collage using the Nine Noble Virtues. What a great way to post the qualities one aspires to!
still thinking the spirals of the calla lilies would make an awesome little quilt.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you made some significant progress in many areas. Yay! Also relate very very strongly to the first paragraph. Not because of Alzheimer's but, yeah. I thought rather than trying to outright control my "reactions" I'd work on finding ways to shift them closer to "responses". I'm hoping that might create other useful and less gear-stripping shifts as well ...
"Attended Tai Chi in the park and two night classes this week. Have practiced a couple of hour long Yoga sessions." This is a dumb request, maybe, but would you elaborate on how you do Tai Chi and also your form of Yoga?
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, Jen, you've accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. I just can't seem to find my groove yet for each day of this new year.
I'd say that is quite a lot accomplished! Give yourself a pat on the back, willya?
ReplyDeleteACey - Don't you love the spiral effect? I know spirals are important you.
ReplyDeleteAngie - I was very, very lucky to find a local teacher who is excellent. He trained with Johnny Kwong Ming Lee who was the last personal student of General Sun Paul Kung. Grand Master Lee has schools in several states, but our school is the first one he established. Master Guerin is my teacher, and a beautiful practioner of Tai Chi. Our style is Wu Style.
Until recently, the last couple of years, I managed 3 classes a week (5-7 hours a week) and met with our lunch group for Tai Chi in the park 2-3 times a week.
The Yoga I've been practicing is from a set of CD's, and I enjoy it, too. Not the same as taking classes, I know, but rewarding.
Hoping to get back into the swing of things because the physical and mental benefits are so great.
You are very busy and you are doing things that you love. Keep doing these things as long as you are happy.
ReplyDeleteI liked your idea of practicing one virtue a week and am considering adding an embellishment to the little quilt for each week I work at living mindfully with a virtue.
ReplyDeleteTake care Jen.
Jen, I like the idea of mental conditioning as well as physical. You've accomplished so much in so little time!
ReplyDeleteMy mother suffered from Alzheimer's. Hateful ... doesn't begin to describe it. I called it "the beast."
Take care of yourself.
Debbi - I'm working at keeping up with the things I love. And at not feeling guilty about not doing things that are less important. :)
ReplyDeleteKim - I'm practicing one virtue at a time, but expect it take longer than a week to feel like I'm making genuine progress. Love the idea of adding an embellishment for each week you work at "living mindfully with a virtue." Like the gold stars from grade school, each embellishment can serve as both a reminder and a motivator.
Hope you will share pictures as you progress!
Deborah - I hope I'm beginning to make some changes in my outlook. The accomplishments are small, but important to me. Yes, I remember that you, too, have dealt with the frustration and grief of this process.