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Growing Older With Frustration
When I put on an angry face, it’s not because I’m angry. When I put on this face, I am usually frustrated. My greatest frustrations are with myself. I ask myself deprecating questions like: Why am I so clumsy? Why can’t I remember to do this process correctly? How many times do I have to do a thing before I finally do it the right way? More often than not, the person I’m most frustrated with… is me.As I grow older, I find myself bumping into frustration more often than I ever expected. I recently returned to work in the banking profession, a field I’ve known for most of my life. Yet the tasks that once felt instinctive now leave me wondering what on earth has happened to the muscle memory I used to rely on. It’s as if my brain occasionally misplaces its reading glasses and then pretends it never owned a pair.
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Tangled Roots
I moved back to Wisconsin in 2014. My front yard garden was planted with several things I didn’t care for, random choices that felt more like leftovers than a plan. A tall cactus stood awkwardly like an uninvited guest. Nearby, a bush resembled Pampas grass, except it wasn’t. Nothing flowed. Nothing belonged. The whole yard looked as though the plants had been tossed there in a hurry, each one competing for attention without harmony.One day, while wandering the garden center at Fleet Farm, I found a spirea bush I loved. Its name hinted at the warm autumn colors it would show in fall. I brought one home and planted it proudly. My husband adored it instantly and guarded it as if it were a rare treasure. When my sister asked for a cutting, he actually stood on the front porch to ensure she didn’t take more than a polite snippet.
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Disaster Houston Style
In the mid-1970s, I relocated to Houston, Texas. I had never set foot in Texas before. This was my first experience living in a big city, and I found it both intimidating and exciting. I interviewed with several banks and was offered a position with Houston Citizens Bank and Trust, located right in downtown Houston. I was thrilled with myself for landing a job so quickly.After adjusting to the roaches that emerged from the faucets and scurried back into the walls the moment I turned on the kitchen light, I slowly settled into my new surroundings. My biggest challenge, however, was the ever-changing weather.
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Sleep is a Good Thing
I can only remember a couple of times when I can say I have been truly exhausted.One of those times was during the Christmas Season. This usually causes me a great deal of stress and total exhaustion. I was decorating at the last minute, which is normal for this master procrastinator. My husband was having a social at our house with his meeting buddies. In order for me to create what I thought was “Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Magazine,” I actually stayed up three nights in a row without going to bed or allowing myself to rest in any shape or form. I would not recommend this, as strange things happen to you when you try to go without shuteye. Since I also had to go to work during the day, I decorated all night and continued on my necessary schedule. I can say that I actually started seeing objects in my peripheral vision. To say I was exhausted was an understatement. To start this holiday event, the club that came to my house had a speaker before we were to party. I have never been so tired. I had to use every ounce in my being to stay awake for his speech. What he spoke about, I have no idea. So, don’t try this at any time, as it is very dangerous to your health, taken from experience.
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Sidetracked Anniversary
Thirty years ago, we weren’t writers -we were women with glue guns, glitter, and a dream. The Sidetracked Sisters started as a mom (Sandy), her two daughters (Lisa and me), and her sister (Judy), selling hand-painted crafts in someone’s living room.