A new year, new challenges!

Happy New Year! I am participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge for January. I hope my loyal followers don't get sick of me or sick of the inevitable daily emails that are automatically sent when I post a blog. If you were here in July when I did my last Ultimate Blog Challenge (UBC) you know that the challenge is to do a blog post every day for a month and also read and comment on at least two other bloggers in the challenge daily. I have tried this challenge a number of times and only completely finished one time. This challenge is especially difficult for me because of my ”hidden” disability. And also important for me because of the same. If you want to do something better, you need to practice.

For those fellow UBC participants, I'd like to tell you a little bit me and about what my blog is about. I had a stroke on May 12, 2019 (on Mother’s Day). The cause is still unknown but I am certain it came as a result of the rotator cuff surgery I had 1.5 days before. I have few physical challenges but I have communication challenges - aphasia, apraxia of speech, dysgraphia and slight dysarthria. These hidden disabilities make reading, writing, and speaking difficult. If you are interested in learning more about my journey after the stroke so far, please read my subsequent posts. Otherwise, I hope everyone will enjoy what I have planned for the next month.

A fellow UBCer, Dr. Jaimie Brainerd, has done a different topic for each day of the week in some of these challenges. This inspired me to do the same for this month’s challenge. I hope that by doing this, it will help me to focus and ease some of the writing difficulties I face. 4-5 blogs on the same topic in the month as opposed to trying to find a new topic each day.

Sundry Sunday

Memoir Monday

ReBUILD Tuesday

Wordless Wednesday (inspired by another UBCer Martha Demeo)

Thankful Thursday

Free Write Friday

Self-care Saturday

Since today is Sunday, I’ll start with "Sundries Sunday". The definition of Sundries (singular sundry) may refer to: Miscellaneous small items, usually of no large value and too numerous to mention separately, such as Dry goods; Toiletries.

When I went to college, my grandmother sent me cards with a few dollars contained In the envelope. She would write, “honey bunch to buy sundaes and sundries”. I’ll never forget these thoughtful gifts. I was missing home and her thinking of me meant so much. I was living on a very small budget using savings I had earned during the summer months. This money truly helped me buy small items I would not be able to have.

Both my grandmothers were amazing women. I absolutely love both of them. They taught me many things about living my best life. Both were stay at home wives when I knew them. I recently found out (looking at the 1950 census) that both of them worked. My maternal grandmother was the rock of our very large family. My grandfather passed away when I was 9 so he didn’t get a chance to know me and my 14 cousins. She lived until she was 86. She kept the family close throught all the years.

My maternal grandmother was strong and courageous. She endured lots of hard ache. When diagnosed with cancer she fought with everything we had. I still feel her presence.

Both of these women taught me that the best things in life are the small things, i.e. miscellaneous things perhaps. Being present with another, spending time with family, noticing, etc.

I'm not exactly sure what I'll write on Sundry Sunday; you and I will have to wait until next Sunday.

Until then.......