and wonder where that skinny young woman went?! She's still inside me screaming to get out, but a chocolate chip cookie generally shuts her up.I cleaned out some of the clothes in my guest room closet. Guests don't have space to hang anything in there. I took my size TEN office clothes to the Christian Service Center's clothing bank. I wore those clothes 13 years ago! Before Ron died in 1996, he did the cooking for about three years. I still remember those 10 a.m. calls at the office, "What do you want for supper?" And I'd tell him what the refrigerator held and he'd choose the meal. Yeah. Funny isn't it? I still did the grocery shopping, but he did the evening meal. Anyway, he cooked like his mama. Good but fattening. After his death, I lost a couple of dress sizes and was back in a size 10. My second wedding dress was even a size 8 if you can believe that!
I was able to keep my clothing size around a size 12 until moving back to Daingerfield. And Sam decided he'd rather eat out. The 12s are still in the closet and I'm knocking on the size 16 rack in the stores. I have three pair of size 14 jeans that still zip.
I recently proved that if I eat my style, I can lose weight. I lost 7 pounds in two weeks while Sam was on that motorcycle trip around the Grand Canyon in August/September last year (and another 4 pounds when I got that horrid cold and couldn't smell or taste anything). Then, Sam got back home, and I ate out with him. I gained about 10 pounds before we even got into the holidays.
Sounds like I need to insert this photo.
The COW aka Cranky Old Woman.Since I'm griping...What's with men anyway?! Ron had a hard time falling asleep. He watched television late. I would generally find him in his recliner in the living room...cover him with a quilt if the weather warranted it...and go back to bed. But if I fell asleep watching television, he would wake me up to go to bed. What's with that?! I'm comfortable. I'm asleep. LEAVE ME ALONE.
Sam does the same thing! I am now the one who sometimes has trouble sleeping. Part of the problem right now is the thermostat is set too high during the day and it's just flat-out too hot to go to bed. Why lay in bed and sweat?! So, I kick off my house shoes and when my toes get cool, then I go to bed.
When Sam snores, I stick in the earplugs. When they don't help, I generally go to the livingroom and read. I have fallen asleep on the couch. The damn light switches on...no not by itself but with a lot of help from Sam. "What are you doing in here?" "Well. You're snoring. I couldn't sleep in there even with the earplugs. WHAT?! It's three in the morning, and I've had a whole 30 minutes of sleep and you want to know what I'm doing in here? Isn't it obvious?!" Sheesh!!!
So...the other night when he was not just snoring, but also flopping over every few minutes, I just moved across the hall. Took my pillow and earplugs with me and shut the door to the guest room behind me. I fell asleep about the time my head hit the pillow and didn't wake until 7:30. Hallelujah! I think closing the door helped. Now I have established my modus operandi...however it's spelled. Sam did ask where I went. ;o) The house is NOT that big. I told him where and why.
Change of topic. Lani on her blog, The Never Ending Adventure, mentioned giving her St. Patrick's Day earrings to a young 20something woman because she admired them. Have you ever done anything like that? Try it. You will feel so good! And you never know who is watching, and you make them feel good too. And there's just no need to mention how you will feel about yourself.
I was in one of the dollar stores one day and the young woman in front of me didn't have enough money for her debit card to cover her entire purchase. It was less than $5. I looked in her buggy...it was full of food, no junk food. She started going through it and pulled out a couple of items. I said, "No. Put it back. I'll pay the difference." After just a little persuasion, she accepted. The manager had to come up to tell the clerk how to handle the transaction. After the young woman left, the manager said something like 'that was good of you.' I shrugged and said it was only three dollars and 24 cents (whatever). He said No. It was worth more than that to her. That was good of you.
I didn't think much more about it.
A couple of days ago I was in T.J. Maxx. I love to go through the housewares and linens to see what they have. I had a pair of $30 Isotoner house shoes for $9.99 in my hand and was looking at the kitchen stuff. I love the klitchy stuff for kitchens. Very seldom buy anything but love to look. A young 20something woman turned to me and showed me the cutest sugar bowl ever! It had a bit of cutwork around the top edge, a lid, and the cutest spoon. But, alas, she couldn't get it. She already had the matching utensil canister in her hand and had to decide between the two because her husband wouldn't like her spending that much money. I noticed that she put the sugar bowl back on the shelf and left the aisle. I picked it up. $3.99.
THREE DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENTS! And she had to leave it. I seriously considered it myself but... I was barely aware of someone else on the aisle with me because I was digging in my purse for a $5 bill. I didn't have that, but I did have four ones. The other lady looked at me, and I explained about the girl and said that I remember being young and broke and having to pinch pennies. I found the 20something a couple of aisles over. I held my hand out and without thinking, she opened her hand. I put the money in her hand and she immediately started with a No. I handed her the sugar bowl and she had no choice but to take it too. I told her what I told the other woman about me being young and penny pinching... She looked incredulous. I then told her to do the same for someone else when she was older and had more money. As I walked back to continue my looking, I saw the other woman. She smiled and said, "You made my day." I didn't expect that.
So...Sean...
Look what you missed out on! (Forget the above size 16 comment.)
5 comments:
That was good of you to help out the young lady with the food and the other with the bowl. I have done the same with food I can't believe how poor some are when they get to the register and are a couple dollars short or whatever and have to start looking at what food (real food) can they do without.
Been there with the ear plugs too and the sofa! my hubby still doesn't think he snores and I say well do you really think I want to sleep on the couch with no room to turn this way and that!
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
I love this post. And what you did is how helping other people should be done - it makes us want to give more, and no one takes it for granted or as an entitlement.
My grandfather's mother was widowed when he was ten years old. He had to go to work and the whole family worked to keep food on the table. He wanted to go to college but couldn't afford it. A recently graduated medical student who had rented a room from them while he was in school urged him to let him loan him the money for tuition. When my grandfather graduated, he went to make arrangements for payment and the doctor refused. He told him that when he went to school, someone else did the same thing for him. He told him that to pay him back, he had to help some other young person go to college.
My grandfather made sure that 6 different people that I know of went to college. And in addition, he had a business and anyone whose son wanted to go to school, he found summer work for them so they could afford their tuition. When he died, so many people stood up and talked about how Mr. Branch had helped their child to be a dentist, CPA, teacher, businessman, etc. What a legacy.
Now, as a recipient of his gift of education, I keep an eye out for some other likely candidate.
It is all the same idea - help the young ones coming up and then when they get their feet under them, they keep it going. It just means more that way.
And you are gorgeous in size 16!!
That is so awesome that you did that for the young girl. You have the biggest heart.
Let's not get into the whole "what use to be my size" discussion. :(
I have a little quote over my desk. "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." (John Wooden) Sounds like you have a fair share of perfect days, and other than Sam's snoring, I bet you sleep well too. :)
Girlfriend, I knew I liked you for a reason!! It's just the right thing to do when folks need it. I've even been the recipient, too. Back when I was single and didn't have much money, I had stuffed my money in my jeans pocket and forgot to get it out next day before heading off to a party at a co-worker's house where I was supposed to bring soda. When I got to the register I was fumbling all over the place and couldn't figure out why no money was in my purse. The fellow behind me paid for it with a smile and I won't ever forget that.
Now, I'm the one who goes to the sofa because I can't sleep sometimes. Sometimes I fall asleep for a while and then wake up at 1:30 or so and can't get back to sleep. Or I'll go to bed and 2 hours later, I'm still awake. There's something about that sofa that just hugs me and I can then go to sleep. So, hubby knows where I am if he wakes up and my side of the bed is empty!!
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