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Out of a Pickle and into a Pastiche

Bridge over Troubled Water
Creative Commons License photo credit: Coolm36
Join My Pastiche – add some fun stuff to my Out-of-the-Dumpity-Dumps List… add a comment or send me an email: Ellie@BouncebackCafe.com

Today I invite you to turn on your sound, click play on the following YouTube video and hum along, let the video play in the background while you read on…

Applause!
Creative Commons License photo credit: Sebastian Bergmann

I love reading my morning newspaper… no, not for its in-depth news coverage nor for its entertaining columnists, but for its daily dose of thought-provoking and insightful comics.  So when my most recent delivery bill arrived, very wrong again, I was exasperated and believed I’d have to cancel my subscription. So I called expecting the worst.  (How’s that for leading with pessimistic, negative beliefs?)  And, to my delight, the service rep agreed that the bill was wacko and fixed it.  Just like that.

Applaud Our Heroes

So in the spirit of PattiAnn’s post on Encouragement let’s all STAND UP AND CHEER for all the hard working, rational, reasonable and empowered service reps of this world… Hoorah for them!!!

Continue reading » In the Spirit of Encouragement, We Applaud Our Heroes, Persist Through Our Pity Parties, Relish Our Pickles, and Get Unstuck by Widening the Pipeline

Still Living With Uncertainty

Slightly confusing signs
Creative Commons License photo credit: Dano

Well, the big trip is over.  I have gone to visit my father and nothing is changing.  Not that Dad hasn’t changed, he has.  Just that not enough has changed in the underlying situation to allow us to make any decisions about the best way to proceed.

For as long as I’ve known him, Dad has had a temper.  His response to unexpected circumstances was to rage.  If you happened to be close by, you became the target.  He was never physically violent that I am aware of, but then he is a little guy – under five feet, wirey and muscular but at a distinct disadvantage when it came to taking on most of the world.

Continue reading » Still Living With Uncertainty

Living with Uncertainty

enjoying our elder years
Creative Commons License photo credit: Torley

Throughout our lives we are confronted with situations that we just need to get through.  Things that are out of our control, and that can only be resolved with the passage of time, can make us feel anxious.  In my case, it’s my father’s rapidly worsening dementia.

Dealing With Dementia

Dementia is a difficult condition for both the patient and the caregiver.  For some period of time, the person with dementia is not really capable of taking care of themselves, but also won’t allow you to take care of them.  You are in a position of “damned if you do and damned if you don’t”: concerned about their safety while trying to facilitate their autonomy.

Continue reading » Living with Uncertainty

Stumbling Up the Bounceback Path

Stairs in the forest
Creative Commons License photo credit: pfly
What Smalls will you celebrate?

Don’t let the bastards get you down!

I’ve got some new mountains to climb.  And they’re scaring me. My guess is that many of you are, like me, experiencing the following: just as I encounter a precipice, just when I need to make a leap of faith, I find my bounceback juice is running low.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to let the bastards get me down!  I’m just going to take a deep breath and figure it out as I go.  And take it one step, one day, one little win at a time. And gift myself with the occasional wallow without getting stuck in the quicksand. I’ll stumble up the bounceback path, by God I will!

Continue reading » Stumbling Up the Bounceback Path

Cup o’ Inspiration

cup with steam swirl

Take a short break and consider the following:

“I always try to balance the light with the heavy – a few tears of human spirit in with the sequins and the fringes.”

Bette Midler

From the Giftshop

Buy an Appreciate Good Things in Life - wildflowers mug
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Appreciate the good things in life mousepad
Awwwwww... what a sweet kitty (mug)

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