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5 Things to Consider When You Need Cataract Surgery

Posted on by Kimberly Anne
cataract surgery

I encourage everyone to get an annual eye exam once they become 50. If you have never had glasses or contact lenses before that doesn’t mean you don’t need to have your eyes examined. I wore glasses most of my life. At my exams my optometrist starting mentioning I had cataracts, but I had time. Eventually, I was caught off guard when I was told I needed cataract surgery. Without the surgery, I would soon no longer able be to legally drive.

When your eyesight has deteriorated to the point you need to have cataract surgery there will be choices to be made. Most people will have their surgeries one or two weeks apart. This allows time for your first eye to heal before your second surgery. However, some people have only one eye affected.

Three million Americans a year have cataract surgery, so it is not unusual to need this surgery. Cataract surgeries are something that happens as we grow older. Of those 80 or older, the likelihood of having had cataract surgery is 90%.

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Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on by Kimberly Anne
Happy Mother's Day
My mother in 2020 reading to
our oldest granddaughter.

Saying Happy Mother’s Day and I love you to my mom has always been a part of every year of my life. For over thirty years I have been on the other end, receiving those greeting from my own children. Even my grandchildren will wish me a Happy Mother’s Day on occassion.

As Mother’s Day is fast approaching, I would love to call my mom and tell her how cute her 22nd great-grandchild, my 5th grandchild, is becoming. I would tell her how well our garden is doing and ask her how hers is doing. Or can she come by and see the new cabinets we had installed last week. There is so much I want to tell her. Regardless of what day it is, even though it’s not Mother’s Day yet.

And I would be calling and texting her and including her in our future plans with our children and grandchildren.

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Cinco de Mayo Memories

Posted on by Kimberly Anne

If you aren’t familiar with the Cinco de Mayo celebration, it is a celebration of the defeat of the French, by a much smaller Mexican army, back in 1862. The battle was the Battle of Puebla. It is celebrated by people of Mexican heritage along with most of the United States. It is very evident by packed Mexican restaurants on May 5th every year. I’m almost positive that most of those celebrating this occasion are clueless as to why Cinco de Mayo is a celebrated holiday.

In fact, Cinco de Mayo has become very popular in the United States and has become one of the largest days of beer and wine sales in the U.S., thanks to promotion by the beer and wine industries. In Mexico, the lack of a big deal with Cinco de Mayo may be in part to the fact that a year after Mexico’s big win, France came back with a larger group of soldiers and defeated Mexico this time.

Puebla holds parades and festivals in honor of the time that they defeated a much larger group of French soldiers. They hold these activities each year. They even do a re-enactment of the battle, so if you are ever in Pueblo, Mexico on May 5th, it could be a day filled with entertainment possibly worth going out of your way to see.

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A Walk Down Memory Lane

Posted on by Kimberly Anne

Each of us will have childhood memories that will be different from our children and grandchildren. I’m not talking so much about places we went, what we were taught in school, or what we had for dinner. I’m talking about things that used to be popular when we were kids, but are no longer around.

Back in the ’60s and ’70s, we had candy that for the most part, is not available today, unless you go to a specialty candy store that sells the candy we used to get when we were younger. Remember having the candy cigarettes? How about Clove gum? Wax lips? They can’t be purchased at your local grocery store anymore.

Long gone for the car lot, is my first car, a Ford Pinto. My husband’s first car was a Chevy Impala. The Impala has stood the test of time and can still be found at a Chevy dealer, however, it is much more modern.

Let’s take a walk down memory lane and visit a few of the things that we had, but for the most part they are gone, just like my Ford Pinto, never to return.

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2021 Goals – March Update

Posted on by Kimberly Anne
March Goals update

Here is my list for 2021

  1. Status: Complete our front yard landscaping. This is an absolute must since it’s carried over from last year.
  2. Status: Lose 5 pounds. I lowered this, but since I ended the year up instead of down, I am going to lose 5 pounds from my beginning weight of 2020, not 2021.
  3. Status: Ancestry: Type up the list I already have started on my mom’s mother’s side. Spend time contacting at least 2 cousins. I have reduced this goal to a more doable goal.
  4. Progress: I have finished 12 books. I am on track to make this one. Read 45 books.
  5. Status: Ride my bike. This can be a challenge because of my balance issues that seem like they will be permanent.
  6. Progress: Visit three states that I have not visited before. This was a great goal last year and we did it, despite Covid shutdowns. I’ve already picked the states, so I am ready to start planning. This month I changed my three states to include a visit to an old friend and I’ve started looking for things to do in those states.
  7. Progress: I’m doing much better than last year. I have three baby quilts cut out already. Complete 3 quilts. Adult or baby. I might get working on a quilt for my son-in-law and one for my daughter-in-law.
  8. Progress: I’m not as far as I should be, yet I have walked 156 miles. Walk 1000 miles. I have attempted this for 3 years and never reached it. This year it is in writing so I hope I will complete it at last.

In March, I only made progress on four of my eight items. That is one more than the previous month.

Of course, my weight has once again gone up. Too much stress in my life right now is what I blame it on. But it’s really my fault no matter what I blame it on. I’m the one that buys the cookies at the grocery store.

How are you doing? I’m hoping that now that it is spring I will make more progress.

Unbelievable Dale Chihuly

Posted on by Kimberly Anne
Dale Chihuly

Unbelievable Dale Chihuly? Who is Dale Chihuly? Why am I asking? I never heard of him until I took an art class at the local junior college. I am not an art lover or a person that really knows much about art. But thanks to that art class. I began to love his work. It’s beautiful and elegant and amazing. And his creations are absolutely unbelievable.

My favorite artist has become Dale Chihuly. It used to be Christine Rosamond. I actually have two of her paintings in my home They are actually copies. If the paintings I have were originals I wouldn’t have them on my wall. I couldn’t afford them. Dale Chihuly’s art is not something easily copied. I’ve actually never seen his art for sale, only on display at museums. However, I’m sure it would be out of my price range. In fact, way out of my price range. And if I had a piece of his art, I would spend my time making sure no one touched it or broke it. And that would not be good, for a piece of art, to take that much of my time.

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