Change...interesting word, interesting outcome...makes life interesting!

 Seems that all around me things are changing. Everything is changing. Since my last post...just the other day...you know my housing has changed. Funny thing is happening on my way to April 15th this year, I'm changing to 80! Now there's a number! 80!

How does it feel? I dun-no! Actually, it feels great, absolutely great. Interestingly, I'm younger. Yes, younger. On the inside, still in my 30's, on the inside of my head that is. The body, well that's another issue. Though things are changing there too, my outlook on the whole thing is surprisingly upbeat. I'm the most comfortable with myself than I have ever been. I do things that I want to do. Want as in choose to do. Not from a selfish point of view but rather a considered decision based on is it a good thing for me and others to do what I think I want to do. That's a whole other take on living if you truly think about it.

In the past I did things because, I should...someone told me to...I had to...it was the right thing to do...there wasn't a choice...it's what I always do, etc.. It's different now, oh, it's the same but the thought behind why I do what I do is different. I do consider the why of it. Truly, I think about why and do I really need to or want to or should I. I have a new freedom to choose. It was always there only now I'm brave enough to look at the choice. Seems like my choices now are acceptable to myself. In other words I'm happy with my choices more so now than before.

Why now?

Maybe because I've lived through so much life. You know, good, bad, hard, easy, life and death. I've been around the block so to speak. There's just not a lot of really new things going on around me that I haven't experienced in some way or another. Someone said "most crisis' last just 2 weeks." followed by "you can do anything for 2 weeks". Of course that 2 weeks isn't scientifically calculated but the idea is a good one. When all things are considered in any crisis how bad is it, all things considered? Of course that depends on what the crisis is, but think about it. Two weeks in time isn't very long at all. Only while you are in the midst of that 2 weeks.

Well, I'm talking about this because in just a couple of months I will turn 80 and I feel better now than I have in years in all areas of my life. I'm more at liberty in nearly all aspects that I can think of. I live alone which has great advantages if you don't get bogged down in being lonely, and that can be a decision to be made. I do pretty much what I want to do. I'm a crafter and I like to write and paint and build things. I've learned how to rewire a chandelier, work on a clock, build with power tools and repurpose things for my purposes. I don't do without much. If I need something I can usually make it and that is invigorating to me. I have a real tool box with power tools, a 3 step ladder, work gloves, paint brushes, sand paper and all kinds of things to use to make the things I want or think I need.

One day I decided I needed a foot stool so I made one out of a cardboard box an old pillow and material plus hot glue.  It lasted several months until I got tired of it and threw it away.  My friends think I can do anything...I can't, but I can do what they think they can't do. Because I think I can.  Is what I do perfect, or will it last a life time, probably not but it does the job for me and that's all I need.

Part of my life now is attitude. I don't pay a lot of attention to what other's think about what I do or what I wear and stuff like that. Not anymore. Just that adjustment in my thinking has freed a whole aspect of life up for me. I choose to enjoy everything. I choose to laugh, make fun of hard things and say nice things. I choose to think good things and enjoy as much in a day as possible. I don't watch a lot of news or anything that is unpleasant. I already know about that side of life. I know it exists and I choose not to entertain it in my life. I pray about those things when I think I'm suppose to but I don't worry about things I can't change. I've learned to look to the written word of God in the Bible as my life guide and do what He says to do in life. He's got me covered and I know that so there's nothing for me to worry about. After all, He loved me first and has known me before I was in my mother's womb. He is after all the Creator of all that there is and with that in mind it's up to me to Love Him first above all else.

I'm Judy and I'm writing this from my new makeover bedroom/ craft room combo of which I'm delighted to be in this evening. Hope you are well where you are and content with your life. God Bless You and good night.

                                                                             Milo                

Boxes, boxes boxes-how to survive a forced move!

 

That's the way it was just before the movers came in and took all my stuff away to a pod on the apartment complex property. I had packed and packed and packed some more until everything was in a milk box from the local grocery.

Next came the hotel that Milo and I stayed in for a few days until the 16th of February.

I had planned for a swimming pool and hot tub, even buying bathing suits but, alas it wasn't to be, so Milo and I took walks on the grounds of the hotel and visited the dog park which wasn't too very far away.

And Tuesday late afternoon, finally home again with all new cabinetry and flooring and freshly painted walls. Same ole' address but new insides...and now the fun begins. Just a few boxes left to unpack and then it's all about finding/creating a place to put things. The bulk of my belongings is craft supplies and tools. My bedroom is now my craft room. Leaving a small space for the new twin bed, I've managed to create my new craft space. The challenge now is organizing all the supplies.

Surviving a forced move is no easy task. How was it a forced move? Well, let me tell you all about it! My apartment complex, a senior citizen complex was purchased by a new owner. The new owner then sold it to a new owner who opened up our complex to families and re-established the complex as a low income apartment complex. Within a year the plans to renovate each apartment became a reality and notices began to show up on the clip outside each apartment door. The notices were instructions and procedures for each resident on when and how their individual move out of their apartment would be made.

According to the notices each resident was responsible for packing up all their belongings in their current apartment. At a scheduled time and date the belongings would be moved from their apartment into a pod set on the premises of the complex. The resident would vacate the apartment every day between 7:30am-5:30pm every evening for 11 days (not including weekends). The resident would be allowed to sleep on a mattress on the floor with a chair, lamp, tv and a tub with their belongings. $350 in gift cards would be given for food. When move-in day came the resident's belongings would be moved back into their apartment from the storage pod.

As you might imagine there was such an uproar by the residents that many were put up in a hotel rather than sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Our oldest resident is 92. One of the local TV stations carried a story about the apartment complex renovation project just a few evenings ago. I'm pretty sure this will be an ongoing story for a while anyway. Check out KCBD 11 Lubbock TX on Southstead Apartment Renovation Project 2-24-24 or there a bouts. There's way more to the story as the residents move back into their apartments only to find poor workmanship and the ongoing interruptions as work continues daily.

Life goes on in my little corner. Milo and I refuse to be disgruntled about how we've been treated. There are lots of residence that are much more between a rock and a hard place over this forced move than me. We've lost a lot of our neighbors because of the manor in which things are panning out as we go along. We are going to be ok...

I remain, Judy, writing to you this evening from my tiny little alcove of my bedroom. Milo is curled up beside me but not snoring...yet. It's a new perspective of my world and I'm up for the changes and getting to invent new things and ways in my apartment. The pear trees are blooming in Lubbock. Beautiful. God bless everyone...

February 2024 Already!!!

 

February 2024 is already in process and it just keeps moving forward. Doesn't seem possible that the days should be allowed to move by so fast. It's actually always like that unless there's there's something pending up ahead you can't hardly wait for.  Like Christmas, Birthdays, meeting someone special, or going somewhere special. When those pending things are, well, pending time seems to go so slow. Otherwise I don't know about you but I seem to wake up and notice it's another weekend ahead and what happened to those days in between.

So why this subject today...As my apartment complex continues to be renovated, everywhere I look, there's construction and heavy equipment, worker men everywhere. New, air conditioners per apartment, new roof over every apartment, front and back paint job, movers moving belongings from apartments to pods and back again. My apartment belongings are almost completely packed for Tuesdays move out. After my belongings are in storage I will go to a motel for 15 days. If that really happens, It's supposed to because she promised she would find a place for me and Milo.

I will spend 15 days in a motel and I plan on making it a vacation of sorts. Spending time doing a puzzle or two, writing, hot tub every day, free breakfast every morning and a walk with Milo and depending what the motel grounds are like. No Bible Study on Tuesdays, not even church on Sundays. I will be on vacation. Haven't done vacation in several years.

I bought a stroller for Milo so if it arrives in time  we will take walks and he will go with me in the mornings to breakfast and to the pool. This whole renovation has been very stressful on all the residents in our complex. When it's over there will be redecorating and much fun and I'm looking forward to 18 days from now. 

I need the time off.

🖼I must be winding down at the prospect if relaxing because I can't think of anything else to say. I am gonna attach some pics of my stacked boxes for the movers to take away on Tues.