I'm a mess!

 The trees into my sister's neighborhood have been blazing with their fall colors.  Then yesterday as I drove in to the neighborhood I saw that the leaves have turned brown and curled up.   Fall is passing and winter is coming.

This is what I wrote to my PS group yesterday:

I've had two falls in the last week and a half.  The first one was on October 25th.  I fell off the small ledge on my sister's patio.  Couldn't get myself up.   Between my sister, step sister and a neighbor I was able to get up- but it was not easy.   Went to my orthopedic practice for x-rays and determined that I have a bad sprain but no broken bones.

On Tuesday I fell again.  This time in my own back yard.   It was dark out my house- my sister was staying the night.  I had taken her dog and my dog outside.  Her dog was on a leash, it was dark and I was trying to hold the leash and flashlight at the same time.   I really don't know how or why I fell, but I was lying in the mud calling for help.   Since I always wear long pants (even pajamas) I have not really looked at my leg beyond my scraped up knee.  The skin feels "tight" when I bend my knee.  This evening I decided to wear a nightgown for a change, and Nick pointed out how bruised the back of my leg is.  Attaching a picture.  Then this evening while I was at my sister's house ( I go there after church every Sunday) I texted Nick at home.  There was no reply.  I tried several times and I finally called him.  I was in a bit of a panic because he was home alone and he always answers his phone.    I finally called him and he said that he did not hear my texts coming in.

about an hour later as I was leaving my sister's house I texted Nick to let him know I was on my way home.   No reply.  Several more texts.  Still no reply. I called him on his cell phone.  No answer.  I called our land line.  Still no answer.  I really fell apart.   I rarely cry, but I was so worried that I really cried.    I headed home, pulled over part way and called again. Still no answer.   I called my sister and asked her to try contacting Nick so I could concentrate on driving.  Finally, he answered- he had been in the shower. 

When I got home Nick was so surprised that I was so upset.   He asked me if I will be this upset when he dies.  I said "no. because I will know where you are".

Sorry this is so long.  I think with caring for my sister and Nick I wad due for a bit of a breakdown.

I am an ugly crier, but, there you go.

 

Ugly crying face!

 

 

 

Right foot with sprained ankle

 

 

 

Bruised left leg and scraped up left knee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions/ Started on October 23, 2026 6:00 PM

 Full Moon at Sunset

 

 

What trips do you remember from your childhood? 

 

I posted this list of questions with the thought that I would try to answer them. So, here goes:

Too many trips to remember.  We traveled most of my childhood.  I have snippets of the memory of flying into Kabul, Afghanistan when I was 5 years old.  I sort of remember passing out and waking up in the cockpit with an oxygen mask on.  I remember driving on the Khyber Pass on the way to Pakistan but I have not recollection of why.  And I remember crossing the Atlantic Ocean on the ocean liner SS America.  

 This question could be a whole volume so I'll stop here for now.

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 Who has been the kindest in your life?

Who has been the kindest?  I think I will have to think on that and come back to it.

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What's something you're proud of?

I am proud of how hard I have worked to raise my kids although I have a lot of regrets (I wish I had been calmer and kinder).  I am proud of the way I have helped so many mothers and babies and families by teaching and supporting breastfeeding and attachment parenting.

Also I am proud that I eventually graduated from college at age 50!

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Who were the people you felt closest to as a child? 

I think as a kid I was closest to my sister.  We always shared a bedroom and even though I am sure I was an annoying little sister, we were and are very close.  Also my mom, but I was kind of scared of her.

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Did you have any pets growing up? 

 Pets?  Yes and no.   I remember we had a dog in Afghanistan named Scamp.  I don't think I ever remember Scamp being allowed inside the house.   We had a lot of cats there but I don't remember being very attached to them.  The kittens were pretty feral .

Nick and I had lots of pets.  We had cats:  Andre' and Pierre, Sonia and Petya, Natasha & Faustus.   Later we had Sasha, Vanya and for a very short time a cat named Catrina.  Oh yeah, we had a our dog Heather too! 

 Nick with our pets at the train station in Bangkok 1976

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How did you get to school as a child? 

In Afghanistan we got to school in what I remember as the back of a WV pick up truck with a canvas cover. I might have that completely wrong I don't know. 

In the States for the first year or so I got to school in a big yellow school bus.  For the rest of elementary school I walked.  In junior high school and high school I rode in a big yellow school bus.

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 What were your grandparents like?

They all seemed old but now as I get older I guess that they really weren't so old.

My mother's mother, Grandma Rivers was kind of silly and funny.  She had been an entertainer and she loved singing silly songs.  Grandpa Rivers was nice but he worked and wanted to watch his "shows" when he was sitting in his chair.

 My Grandma Thompsen, my father's mother was Norwegian and had a very strong accent.  She was never really silly, but she was nice and kind.  I spent a couple of summers with her and I really wanted to stay but my parents wouldn't let me. It never occurred to me that she might not want me to stay.   Her husband, my father's father returned to Norway before any of the grandchildren were born.   I've seen plenty of pictures of him, but was discouraged from asking questions about him.

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Did you play any sports?

Not if I can help it! 

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What things are most important to you in a home?

On  deep level, love and security.  Calm and peace.

 On a more superficial level, neatness, tidiness, cleanliness- swept floors, things put away. 

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Who is the most important person in your life?

There are too many to name.  I suppose to start with, my mother.   She is gone.  Dead.    It's sad, and I miss her.   But it's the "natural order of things".

My sister is way up there as an important person in my life.

But the most important are my kids and Nick. 

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What have been your favorite trips?

So may trips.    Probably one of the best was the drive across the US with our four oldest kids.   We had pretty much said that four was our limit, but I remember feeling so happy and good about that trip.  Nick and I talked a lot and decided that having a fifth child would be good.  So we did and it was.

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Where's the most beautiful place you've been?

It's a toss up between Perth, Western Australia and Tromsø, Norway 

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Do you remember any celebrations as a child?

I had a birthday party when I turned 10. 

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What was the first major news story you can remember living through as a child?

The assassination of President Kennedy 

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What was your favorite thing to do in the summer as a kid?

Swim.  I loved to be at the swimming pool as much as possible.  My mom's rule was that if it got to 65 or less I couldn't swim. 

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What television programs did you watch as a child? 

 Captain Kangaroo, The Monkeys, cartoons of all sorts.

 

 

 

Questions I want to answer

 

It's time to blog agin / second attempt

 

 

I tried to publish my writing/ blog yesterday.  I wrote a lot and added photos and everything.  Then, poof!  It all disappeared.  No amount of searching has found my lost writing.  I bet there's a trick but it is beyond me.

Today is the 25th anniversary of 9/11- when there were terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a sight in Pennsylvania where passengers on the last of the planes in the attack were able to take over and keep that plane from hitting something significant.  Maybe the White-house or the Capital building.

 Nick and I got our flu and covid vaccinations yesterday which probably accounts for my sleepiness.   

I'm not going to write a whole lot here right now but might catch up later. 

   

 

 

 

Thinking about my father and how my kids remember him if at all

 

I'm not sure why, but when Chance and Jamie were here last weekend I learned that Chance has no image or memory of my father.

I need to ask my other kids what they remember if anything.

I am afraid I have done a disservice to my dd by telling the kids only the negative/ bad stuff about my dad.   Even if it's true, he was not always mean or scary.  I spent hours on his lap looking through magazines or combing his hair. Not sure why, but I enjoyed polishing his shoe too.

We used to go on walks and he would hold my hand.  He would say "ride' ride' ronka", a Norwegian nursery rhyme while I rode on his foot- pretending it was a horse  

 

Of all five Sherwood kids, I think that Austin is the most Scandinavian looking and he really looks like my dad in these two pictures.  One of Austin's profile and the other my dad's profile in his WWII Navy uniform.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture was taken by my dad probably 1991 or 1992 when my dad and Becky were visiting us.

I know that I have pictures of my father with each of the kids.  I have pictures of him holding Chance as a baby.  

I feel like I have left a big part of my history and my kids history out of the picture.   Need to work on that!

 

Happy La Leche League story to share

 I posted this on Facebook yesterday and received almost 200 "likes"!

 I was wearing this shirt today and in a ladies room a woman at least my age (70s) said "is that shirt La Leche League?" I said that I am a LLL Leader. She said she nursed her first baby until she was 3 years old! Her son stopped when he was ready but she couldn't remember how old he was. She said he always did things his own way. How great is it when you meet a League mom who's babies are in their 40s and who still loves her memories of La Leche League!

 

 =7   =74  = 85

Good Morning!

 I woke up feeling human today for the first time in ages!  I have been depressed and tired for what seems like forever.

I took a much needed nap yesterday and I think that it at least some of what revived me.    I felt good after I woke up from my nap!

 Not a whole lot new here.  I have started to follow Weight Watchers again.   I used to love going to the meetings but have not been this time around.  They have moved the location and I don't feel like trying to find it.  Also, Weight Watchers has gotten involved in the weight loss drug/ shots program and I am really not interested in that.   Wish me luck!

 It is so hard to believe that Shannon died almost 6 months go!   Her mom and I have kept in touch all through Shannon's illness and her death.  Last week, Sarah- Shannon's mom visited here at out house for a couple of hours.  She was on her way to Fredericksburg to visit Shannon's kids.

Sarah had visited the cemetery in Pennsylvania where Shannon is buried.  she took some pictures of Shannon's headstone and shared them with me.

 

 

 

 

 

It's beautiful.  But I wish Shannon was still alive.