MS Challenge

Greetings again from this Montana Wife, Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma!! 

It has been 3 years since I set at the computer with my blog open and my fingers ready to put on this page my thoughts and goals.

My life has been sprinkled with challenges and choices. Some of those have been life changing.  

As a teenager I had both legs broken in a car accident and was through the years, given a list of "you will never..." Later I experienced the life changing diagnosis of breast cancer. That "C" word changes life forever!! Many of those "you will never..." became "Oh, yes, I will!!" 

I have spent hours walking hundreds of miles with  the goal of bringing hope to those dealing with breast cancer. I began the walks after my own diagnosis as a way of celebrating both life and the ability to take those steps! The people I met, and the stories they shared fanned a fire deep within my heart and will live with me all my life!!

My Mom and both of my sisters have been diagnosed with Alziemers. Mom passed away 30 years ago, and at that time it was accepted as an old persons disease. My oldest sister lives in a memory center in Oregon. It was after the death of my other sister, from Louie Body Dementia, I committed to working with the Alziemers Association. I have taken on-line classes to better understand this horrible disease and the many forms it takes, to rob families of loved ones. If you are reading this as someone who is concerned about changes in your life, living with someone who you are concerned about, a caregiver, or a patient. Know that there is a 24 hour hot line you can call and there will be someone on the other end of that line who will not only listen but understand.  Call 24/7  800-272-3900

 The reason that has brought me back to this blog is our Granddaughter, Sasha Moody. Three years ago she was diagnosed with MS. Life has changed for her. There is so much to be learned and changes to be made. In 'walked' my latest goal. An add for the MS Challenge Walk popped up on my phone! November 3-6 in San Diego. 3 Days 50 Miles to see an end to MS. Each walker is ask to raise $2500, with that money going toward research. Once again I will walk the miles, as I count on you to help me reach the financial goal. (All donations are tax deductible)

It is my goal to make this a Fun and Educational experience for all of us!!  Keep an eye open for opportunities to join in the fundraising and learning  :) Message me any names of MS fighters that I can take with me on my walks!! 

 Check out my page and join my team!!!     

      https://mssociety.donordrive.com/participant/Laura-Moody

A New Passion

I was almost surprised to find that my blog was still waiting for me. It has been several months since I have set down, opened this page, taken a breath and told myself, "WRITE."
Life has taken some twists and turns since my last visit and my focus and life goals have changed. Yes, I found that I can still find new passions as a Grandma and now Great Grandma in my 70's.

When last I shared I was walking for miles and training for the "3 Day 60 Mile" walk for breast cancer. The walk had proven to be the vehicle I could use to share my gratitude for both LIFE and the gift of WALKING.  (after having both legs broken as a teenager and later the diagnosis of breast cancer) Just 2 days before I was to check in for my walk in 2018 my sister died of "Louie Body Dementia".
As I spent that week sitting by her bedside, sharing those last days and hours with she and  her children I knew in my heart my focus and passion were changed forever. Her death was not the first time my life had been touched by this thief of life and memories. Some 30 years previous my Mom had died when we still thought of it as the disease of old people, and my oldest sister was robbed of her independence and and memories several years ago. She is living in a Memory Care facility at the present.
With my children, grandchildren and great-grands in mind, I knew I owed it to them; and in honor of my Mom and sisters to learn all I can and work to bring an end to this disease. No, I do not dwell on the history this thief shares in my life. I DO wake each morning thankful for my memories and determined to not let the fear that accompanies this disease win but instead seeking wisdom in how my lifestyle and habits could effect my health.

The very weekend I returned to Montana the "Walk to End Alzheimer's" was scheduled! Joined by my husband we made the walk, I met up with the Montana State leaders of the Alzhiemer's Organization, and made my commitment to become involved. The rest is history as they say....

It is with a heart filled with gratitude that I invite you to join me in my journey to learn and share in blogs to follow some of knowledge I gain, people I meet and HOPE that is available for those of us who deal with the 'worry of days to come' or those who have begun their walk as caregiver. My goal?? To let you know you are NOT ALONE and share some smiles and virtual hugs along the way!

Sharing Hope and Saving Memories
Grandma M

Hate becomes HOPE

Have I ever mentioned that I HATE cancer ?? Hate is a word I seldom use...but this week cancer has stirred that emotion within me.  Neuoblastoma a childhood cancer, took the last breath of a beautiful young girl whose life has touched the hearts of thousands of strangers, friends and family alike. After seeking the latest treatment available from the best cancer facilities in our nation the reality is "THE NEEDED" treatment has not yet been developed.I have talked to numerous women who have dealt with breast cancer, a nieghbor whose sister died of pancreatic cancer a friend who lost her husband to lung cancer..and the list goes on.

HATE is a powerful word.."to feel INTENSE, or PASSIONATE DISLIKE"
I hesitate to use the word because in our world today we see that emotion pointed from one human to another. The hate speech of one group against another is all to prevalent. Respect and Kindness seem to be traits that have been lost to many. Yet, I can write to you without any qualms that I HATE this disease that steals the lives of so many, way to early!

Having acknowledged that INTENSE emotion boiling within me, it then becomes my responsibility to deal with it. Sitting and allowing my anger and sadness to rule is of no help to anyone, especially me. So what do I do with that emotion?? I CHOOSE TO WALK!! I am not a doctor or a scientist.  I don't have the knowledge or ability to work within a hospital or lab to "find the cure". But I CAN walk. The 3Day Walk is a walk for breast cancer, but I walk with the hope that all research will have benefits for many cancers!

I know that I have shared with you many times that the reason I do the 3Day  is to show Thanksgiving for Life and the ability to walk.  It is a way for me to "Pay it Forward"  for the blessings and health I have today. To be a part of  bringing HOPE to others. That HOPE comes in the form of research which is made possible by the monies raised as thousands of people WALK; for thousands of others who DONATE. Together we become a team and the HATE can be replaced with HOPE. Respect for one another and Kindness to each other seems to find their way past religious or political differences as we work for a common goal. A "LIFETIME" for everyone. There is no room for hate of one another as we realize that this disease isn't discriminatory but could strike your family as well as mine.

One of the questions I hear often is, "What gives you the motivation to walk those hundreds of training miles?" Well, the answer is simple. Each year as I begin this journey and I listen to neighbors, friends, family and strangers share their stories , I know we need  research to find that CURE. The donations made to support the miles walked by thousands of participants make that research a reality.

I choose to channel the HATE I feel for cancer into "MILES OF HOPE" !!

Wanta join me?? Check out my web page: I'll walk the miles as you donate your dollars for those miles and together we WILL make a difference! 
Please leave me a comment with your story:)

Walking Strong Because Everyone Deserves a Lifetime

Miles of Hope

















3Day Walk

2018 WALK FOR HOPE

2018 WALK FOR HOPE

WHEN I DID MY FIRST WALK IN 2013 I CHALLENGED MYSELF
TO DO DO THIS AGAIN IN MY 70TH YEAR. WHY?,YOU MIGHT
ASK. I DON'T REALLY KNOW OTHER THAN IT SOUNDED LIKE A
GOOD CHALLENGE ( AND 70 PROBABLY SOUNDED REALLY OLD
AT THAT TIME) BUT, IF YOU KNOW ME AT ALL "I AM ALWAYS
UP FOR A CHALLENGE."THE MAGIC DAY HAS COME AND GONE,
THE WALKING SHOES ARE ON, THE FITBIT IS CHARGED AND
THE TRAILS AWAIT!"

Why do I walk the 3Day? I walk it in honor of the 400 names I now carry
on my Tutu and for the new names I will obtain in my training this year.
Men,women and children who have been affected by the monster we call
cancer.The challenge is real. 60 miles is a long walk and the hours required
to train are many. It is a commitment I don't make lightly because once the
commitment is made the entire 60 miles becomes the goal. NO SHORTCUTS,
as those I honor, who fight this monster, are required to endure every hour of
treatment. So, in good health, I will walk strong in their honor.There are many
who do this walk and are not physically able to complete the full 60 miles.
They are on the trail, the research money has been raised (each participant
is required to raise $2300) and their commitment to that ultimate goal is no
different than mine. It's not a race, it is not a "contest" it IS hundreds of
participants with the same goal.

My reward comes in the name of HOPE. The HOPE that comes from each
research breakthrough from the monies donated. The HOPE I see in the eyes
of those who share their stories trusting that I care,and that each mile I walk
is in their honor of the friend or lovedone whose story they shared.
Today I carried my first new name home. It is always a humbling experience
as I acknowledge that the person I'm walking away from has opened his/her
heart and entrusted me with a story they hold dear.
When my phone 'pings' with the announcement "A Donation has been made"
no matter how large or small, my heart smiles, my steps seem lighter and I
uttera prayer of thanksgiving.for those who will be blessed by it. It never gets
old,routine or mundane.

It has been a couple of years since I 'hit the trail' and there have been several
times that I have doubted that I would be able to accept that challenge due to health issues. In December we came to Arizona to take advantage of the sunshine and stay active. After joining the Walkers of Palm Gardens for a couple desert walks, my husband, and most ardent supporter said, "I think you could do the 3Day again" Unknown to him I had made that same decision. (I love it when we think alike!)

I made the call, registration has been paid and the excitement of a new adventure stirs within me. I invite you to share your story and a name for the Tutu!! (No donation required) and as always you may join me as a 'Vessel of Hope" by making a donation on the link below.
www.the3day.org/goto/lauramoody

Walking Strong because EVERYONE DESERVES A LIFETIME

Treasures and Values

Saturday is Coffee and Donuts at the South Hall! It is an opportunity to meet new neighbors and to plan the week ahead. It is also our day of adventure.

 It was a rare day in Arizona as it turned into a cool rainy day. In place of our planned hike we chose to check out some shops in a nearby community. After touring a consignment shop I found a corner Antique Store with a sign in the window  'Sale: 50% Off" . Well, I couldn't pass up an Antique Store but when you add the possibility of finding a sale it is even more enticing.
I was amazed at the quality and quantity it held. I had enjoyed chatting with the the lady who owned the store as I took a leisurely walk through her treasures. She spoke with a beautiful accent, though I couldn't quite place it.

 The door opened and she welcomed a couple who had come in from the cold to take a look around.

The owner announced to them that most everything in the store was on sale 50% off and for them to "Let me know if you want to look closer at something." The lady stopped almost immediately and said, "Yes, I would like to look at this silver compact." The owner graciously unlocked the showcase and while handing the item to the customer said "Now it it 1/2 off of  the ticketed one hundred and twenty five dollars but it could be yours for fifty dollars!!" The lady opened it up, looked it over and said, "No, thanks" to which the owner not wanting to lose a sale, asked, "What would you pay me for it today?"
After a short pause the lady answered, "Well, I was thinking fifteen dollars."
I turned around thinking, Wow that took guts, and didn't know whether to be impressed with her initiative or embarrassed at the insult the owner must have felt!
The owner, without a moment hesitation, casually took the compact back, opened the showcase and while setting it down responded, "It is not "used" it is a collectible....Starbucks, a cup of coffee and piece of pumpkin bread, you could get for $15.00. It is a collectible you know and I have investment. Thank you anyway."

I continued to walk through the shop and had to smile at the response. She had quite cleverly declined the offer of the customer while at the same time declaring the value of; and reason she had placed that value on the item.

Later in the day as I thought back on the incident I realized that each of us have "treasures" in our lives that we value highly. Some are tangible items, those we have on our in our homes, on our walls and shelves. Others are intangible.  As an example a few of my personal treasures would include : my time, energy and my family.

There are times we offer to share those treasures with others, only to find that they don't understand our value system.  We then choose our response to what we may interpret as lack of appreciation of that treasure by others .
 It is my hope that my choice would be to be gracious but strong. That I would be able to convey that the value I place on my 'treasure' is due to my investment and my investment is equal to the value I place on it.  At the same time I hope to accept that others may not appreciate my investment and we are both free to walk away.
May the experience of rejection never stop me from offering to share one more time.

The door opened, a new customer arrived, and the voice once again repeated,"Most everything in the store is 50% off. Please let me know if there is anything I can show you up close."

Challenge to Simplify

Living in a small home, in a "retired community" is a new experience and brings with it many opportunities for learning and enjoying. Swimming, exercise class, pool, line dancing, writers club, Bible Study, potlucks, and Bingo to name a few.

Saturday is the day to plan your week. It  begins in the morning with coffee and a donut in the South Hall. Announcements of the weeks events and fellowship with new friends.
As the various activities are announced it becomes obvious there is 'something for everyone', those who would choose to 'watch' and those who choose to DO.  As one fella noted, "I don't eat dirt".  In other words, He will be a doer. :)
Tiny house or not there is cleaning and shopping to be done, only on a much smaller scale.
Having raised 5 children and sharing our home and table with many of their friends and ours; it has been a challenge, for years, to cook and shop for two. When we are in our home in Montana; with the possibility of family dinners or guests at any time, having extra food in the pantry and freezer is a "smart" idea..RIGHT?? Well, that's MY story and I'm sticking to it!!
Our son-in-law once ask our grandson, "If I was lost in the woods and had one wish do you know what it would be?" To which our grandson very excitedly replied, "NO, WHAT?" The answer..."Grandma's refrigerator!"
If you have followed my blog, or know me, you will know that I am ALWAYS up to a challenge. It seems to be a weakness of mine.
Currently my goal is "At the end of our 6 months in Arizona for the frig and cupboards to be close to bare. Striving to purchase only what we need from week to week." I have accepted this as a test of my innovative skills. Shopping and cooking have become adventures of their own. In reality it has become a fun undertaking, finding meals fit for two and creating new ways to make sure the leftovers are not 'left'. It has brought memories of years past when the budget required a plan and leftovers were rather known as 'recycleables" Meals were a sometimes a "WONDER" to be explored.

Enter the InstaPot!  It is currently the 'miracle of  kitchen appliances" and my newest friend. Because ANY challenge is more fun with a companion, RIGHT??  Having accepted this test I had created for myself it was time to get started. Menus are built, grocery list made and the learning has begun. "So far..so good" as my Mom used to say. Seems she had a adage for almost everything..but THAT, my friend is a story to come.
Meatloaf, ribs, chicken, eggs, and even cheesecake have successfully made their way to the table. The pot seems to be endless with it's provision of  deliciousness. For this dweller of a tiny home the challenge is on, the frig is looking less like the source of weeks of nourishment and the cupboards hold mainly the needed ingredients for the menu planned.

The challenge is going well, the budget is looking good and the tummy's are full. It feels great to 'get back to the basics' and have time to take a WALK IN THE DESERT of Arizona! Truth is, I am kinda falling in love with the 'simple life' again, which seems to be my ultimate goal in this life called retirement.

 Henry David Thoreau once said," Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify."  Sounds like great advise to me! 

"The Apple of his Eye"

While perusing the internet for InstaPot recipes  (because I may be a bit obsessed -oh, now I digress, that is a story for later! )I came on one for making applesauce. As I was reading through it the poster had listed all the best varieties of apples to be used. This sparked a memory of a story my Dad used to tell. Join me for a moment as I share a memory.

My Dad and Mom celebrated their 40th anniversary on the third day of February 1964 just 15 days before my 16th birthday and the day my Dad would pass away unexpectedly. My sisters had planned a celebration for them that would include the fellowship of friends and family covering those 40 years. Life had been filled with it's share of challenges during those years but many stories of laughter and love were woven among the sad and tragic. Being the youngest of 8 children, separated by as many as 23 years life was pretty different by the time I arrived, and certainly by the time I was old enough to remember. As a result I have only a smattering of stories to cover those early years.
My Dad and oldest brother and sister worked in the shipyards during the war. Daddy was older with a family to care for and Charlie was not accepted due to health issues. (He died at 21 of cancer) Betty was a welder. The stories were rarely shared of this time but Betty told me of forgetting to take her boots one Sunday. She had to wear her 'Sunday shoes' on her shift and got a terrible burn on her foot when slag fell in her open shoe. "I didn't ever forget my boots after that," she said.

Dad farmed with horses and Mom fed the crews in the early years. Later in their marriage Dad walked the logs on the pond of the saw mill, guiding the logs up the chain to be made into lumber. The family was always rewarded by Mom's gardening and cooking skills and the Sunday Dinner table was rarely set for 'family only.' Even tho the money was sparse the love and hospitality in our home never was. Our table welcomed family, friends, and strangers alike.

In those 40 years they lost 3 children. One to disease, one after only 3 days of life and one to a tragic accident. They lived through the war and the "Great Depression". But the story that everyone of us kids would remember and love the most was how they met.

Daddy was working as a farm hand in the apple orchards of western Washington and Momma was picking apples for that same farmer. Daddy would tell how he saw this pretty girl in the tree, and would continue to embellish the story. But he would always declare "I met your Mom when I shook her out of the apple tree." To which Mom would never disappoint him with her response of "Roy Selby you quit telling that story!" much to our delight.

It is one of my favorite tales as I remember his laugh, the twinkle in his eye as he waited expectantly for Mom's inevitable response.

To this day when I think of the fruit in the apple tree I know that without a doubt my Dad got the "apple of his eye" and the  "cream of the crop!!"

Keep your eyes open you never know where you might find a treasure!