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We don\’t Stop Playing

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Play this image as a Jigsaw Puzzle

Inspirational Quote of the Day on Aging

“ We don\’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.\”

George Bernard Shaw

Keep Playing

Today I am late getting the blog out because I just didn\’t get started with it. No excuses – just was the mood I was in and I went with it.

I\’m just back from getting my first Covid haircut! I got it cut super short – like almost a shave – well not quite but short. I figure if the next Covid wave strikes I\’m set to go for awhile.

The haircut I rather like – the fresh look at how I am aging – hmmmm – not so much. I mean I am getting the wrinkles and the soft, saggy skin that was only supposed to belong to my grandmother not me. How did this happen? But like Jon says (and others) it sure beats the alternative. Life at any age is good.

Forward Focus

I have been praying, puzzling and scratching my head about the focus of my blog moving forward. Truthfully it has been getting on my nerves that this blog just sort of goes along and dips down and barely rises again and never, ever gets anywhere. It\’s fun to do and it fills my time but at the same time I just feel it\’s stuck and I\’m stuck and how to get past that \”stuck\” place?

The biggest problem I think is that I am not connecting with the audience that might be interested in the sort of blogging I am doing. And then just now as I was writing about aging I decided that the audience I need to focus on are the folks like me – baby boomers and up who are not getting any younger but still have a big interest in all that life has to offer at this stage of our lives.

Building Traffic

Here is my measurement stick for continued blogging success – is the blog growing? At this point not much. Lots of things I suppose I am doing wrong and I keep humoring myself by telling myself that just doing it is enough but truthfully it is NOT!

For the last few years I have had about 36 subscribers and it just stays there. That is discouraging and although I want to stay connected with my faithful friends (you ARE true friends) I would like to have enough growth that I feel putting in hours a day on it is in a building mode not a bumbling blogging survivalist.

And so what needs to change is that I need to create posts that are geared more to \”how to\” rather than \”how I\’m feeling.\” A blog that along with a daily check in and the links to puzzles and games also has tutorials, tips and some crafty or fun things to do that appeal to folks in my age group.

My Next Step

So I\’m going to start by creating a blogging calendar – that will move me forward in that direction. And I totally understand if some of you find this new direction I\’m going to try (who knows if it will work for me) not your cup of tea. If that is the case I hope you will continue to check in from time to time to keep in touch.

Stay tuned . . .

Time Out to Play a Game

\"Mahjong
Mahjong		 \"Mahjong
Memory Game		 \"Jigsaw
Jigsaw Puzzles @ Jigsaw Planet		 \"Work
Make a Word
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Please add \”your\” three gratitude moments in the comments. It\’s a great way to pick up your day and it\’s fun for the rest of us to read!

  1. Checked out the Mork and Mindy DVD first season from the library. We both used to love this show and of course Robin Williams.
  2. Rereading a favorite book – Young Adult – Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
  3. Cooked that first zucchini. Truthfully it was better before I added the egg and cheese to the dish. Another learning experience.
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Jungle time

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6 Responses

  1. Hello Pat – It’s been a long time since I have been able to connect to my computer. Same issues different month. Seems like I missed a lot of your blogging.
    I was very happy to see your posts again. Looks like you changed things a bit. Very nice change too!
    I have not gone for my first covid haircut just yet. I have an appointment in July. I hope I don’t get cold feet and cancel. We were hit hard here in NJ, it has calmed down A LOT but I’m still nervous about it. So many other states are spiking
    Your blogs are always interesting and full of information. Reading them is like putting on your favorite snuggly pj’s and a warm blanket.

    1. Grateful my 6 month old grandson will finally be allowed to baptized. Churches are allowed to do so
    2. First hug from my daughter in 3 months
    3. Saw my two grandchildren and played with my 4 year old granddaughter in the yard at a safe distance

    1. Thanks Charlotte – I read your comment this morning and that’s what made me decide to do a blog post about the haircut – hope you don’t get cold feet for your appointment in July! 🙂

      Amazing about your hug from your daughter. It has been a long time since we have visited family as well – months and months – except for one short visit to Jon’s son who lives here in Vancouver. We sat on lawn chairs in the front yard – sometimes it seems like we won’t get the virus from family members but that’s been proven wrong. :-O

  2. Your comments today made me think — sometimes we get very comfortable just reading your Blog entry–but don’t feel a need to respond. Laziness on our part–and I apologize for my neglect of not leaving more comments. Truly enjoy each and every entry of your Blog, and so like that you have returned with daily entries. Also, love the makeover you gave it. Cheerful, and tends to put a smile on my face. That is pretty hard to do these days, as the last 7 1/2 months have been so very difficult for me since losing my beloved companion. So many tasks that I haven’t done for years, I am having to learn all over again. Keith did all the cooking for the last 14 years, so I am having to learn how to cook using an electric stove instead of my preferred gas stove. Tonight I had three guests for dinner, but the first meal using the oven. Me, an 87 year old woman, and I was like a bride preparing her first meal for her beloved. (They ate well, so it must not have been too bad!) I guess what I am really trying to say, Patty, though we don’t always express it, your Blog is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. Thank you so much for writing it, especially that I can search for it nearly daily. When I see your Blog it is like getting a much needed note from a friend. Thanks for being that friend for these many years.

    1. Hi LaVern – I can only imagine how hard it is for you not to have Keith in your life and of course he is still very much in your heart – but totally NOT the same.

      Cooking on electric is very different – doesn’t seem like it would be but it certainly is. We have gas here thankfully though sometime we use our electric skillet – so there’s a bit of going with both I guess.

      Wonderful about cooking for guests – isn’t it amazing how when we don’t do something for awhile it does seem like starting anew. Sort of like driving – I hardly do much now because of my vision problem but it always seems more scary when I do drive just because I get out of practice.

      And huge thanks for your appreciative comments. 🙂

  3. Hi Patty,

    I can totally relate to the skin issues! Sometimes when I look in the mirror now (I’ll be 69 next month) all I see is my Mother. Always love reading your posts and I do hope you’ll continue with them. No haircut since February, so you are very lucky! If you ever need a friend, send me an email and I’ll give you my phone number. Hang in there!

    1. Grateful for iced coffee and my rosary on my porch early this morning.
    2. Grateful for a nice walk to the Farmer’s Market
    3. Grateful for my beautiful home at the Jersey Shore

    1. Thanks Teri – exactly how I feel – like who is this person with all the wrinkles? How did they get here?

      Sent you an email about calling and looking forward to a chat!

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