Starting anew

My previous blog disappeared. I knew I hadn't posted in a while but this had never happened before. Oh, well.

I am in a frame of mind that leads me to want to organize my life and pursuits of happiness more than they have been in the past. I am interested in committing myself to fewer things, with more forethought, and to staying committed. Along those lines I have started on the path to a healthier life and more fit body. I have chosen a few things to work on, gradually, with the idea that these will not be temporary changes but permanent life style changes. I don't mean to say that I have changed into a different person - that would never work. I am not that strong willed a person. ;-) I can, however, take charge of my life and my body and work towards improving both.

I plan to talk about my plans, successes and "set backs" here. some of this will be fiber related because fiber is very much forefront in my pursuit of happiness. Some of it will be health related and some will just be thoughts.

I'll start with my body and health. I had breast cancer, diagnosed 3 years ago next month. I went through chemo and radiation and surgery. I am now healthy and appreciating every day I have. That thought has shaped my attitude towards life, current events and my body. I have had periods when I have said (to myself) that I should just do what I want - I might not be here next year. I have also (less frequently) said that I should change my life around so that it is more centered on health maintenance. Neither of those views is really me, though. I have pretty much adopted a middle of the road philosophy. I do want to improve my health but I don't want to "diet". I will work on increasing my intake of healthier things like water and decrease the amount of soda that I ingest but I have no plans to switch totally. I have started doing stretches (2 weeks now of just about daily stretching) and added a plank program last night that I plan to continue. I have a bad back and need the core strengthening and flexibility. As I move further along this road I will probably modify my plan depending on how I feel (mentally and physically) but still working towards improved heath and comfort.  I am following stretching and exercise plans from a website that I feel comfortable with.

I am working towards changing the way I spend my time. I have to work, so I do, but I am in a job that I like and feel good about what I am doing. I have changed the location of my work, thereby eliminating a minimum of 2 hours of driving per day. I am working on changing how I spend my "extra time" so that I feel that it is well used, not frittered away. I am limiting time spent on line, and spending more time doing things with or talking to my husband. We do more home projects together. We talk more. We enjoy being together. I am making sure I continue to allow for that time. Our house is ours alone for the first time. Both sons have moved out and I am relishing having our house to ourselves. I look forward to the "fish" part of my life - going out on the boat with my husband as often as we can manage, so he/we can fish and enjoy the great outdoors and the waters near us.

Time for fiber - that has been a part of my life for quite a while now. I need to be careful that it doesn't take over my time. It would be easy, but I need to keep it in it's compartment so that it doesn't exclude other valuable things. I also have to keep a rein on my fiber spending, and that has gotten better recently. I spent more money than I had planned when I went to the NY sheep and wool festival, also known as Rhinebeck. I love everything I bought, though, and plan to not buy any yarn (at all!!!) until at least May 2016. I have lots of yarn and I have lots of fiber. I plan to spend time this next year turing more of my fiber into yarn and then knitting that rather than buying so much. Bob is proud of my knitting and isn't trying to get me to stop. I just want to balance my life more.

One big way we do the balance and share things to go out on the boat together. He fishes, I knit. (and sometimes spin). I still bring the knitting but now I spend some time fishing, too.
I plan for us to do more together this coming winter - we can shovel snow together instead of him having to do it all. We can shop and plan meals together instead of me expecting him to do it all. I plan to continue to find things for us to do together without feeling like I am giving up too much of "me" time. We have been married for 38 years and I plan to stay married and happy for as many years as we have together.

I am particularly thankful today for what I  have in my life because of the tragedy in France, but appreciation for my life has been an important part of my day for several years now. I will continue.