Wednesday, September 21, 2016

DEALING WITH A BIT OF DEPRESSION AT THE MOMENT AND ‘DON’T GO THERE UNTIL YOU GET THERE’

DSC_0034It was with sadness I read RV Sue's post this morning.  Her beloved little dog Bridget has passed away.  Spike, Sue's other dedicated little team member died back in late August of 2014.  We first met RV Sue, Bridget and Spike on Darby Wells Road in Ajo Arizona on December 9th 2011.  The last time we saw RV Sue and the crew was south of Quartzsite on December 28th 2013 where we along with RV Sue, Spike and Bridget as well as fellow boon-dockers Bill and Ann with their dogs Julie and Sammy hiked a trail north from Palm Canyon in the Kofa mountains.  Bridget, Spike, and RV Sue have been an integral part of each others lives as they have boon-docked their way around the western half of the United States for the past 5 years.  Sue has the largest loyal RV blog following of anyone I know.   Like RV Sue and the canine crew we too have lived, loved, and traveled with our dogs over the years and well know the emptiness in Sue's heart at the moment.  But there is a ray of sunlight in her life still and his furry four legged name is Reggie.  Spike and Bridget are gone now but in Sue's own words she says, "Reggie and I will stay at Luna Lake a few more days and then we’ll be off to see what lies beyond this bend in the road".  Know that you and Reggie are in our thoughts Sue and how well we remember Bridget and Spike……………….…DSC_0025

                                                    BRIDGET AND SPIKE

DSC_0011-001

Been quite awhile since a bout of depression has sneaked up on me and although I should have recognized the warning signs I was caught up in it before I realized it was upon me.  My mini-meltdown over the fresh water sanitizing ordeal a couple days ago finally triggered it.  My problematic short term memory is proving to be more difficult for me to deal with and I am becoming increasingly frustrated and impatient with myself.  The times of normally forgetting about something and having a laugh about it are gone and here's an example of what I am talking about.  I had unscrewed a brass 'quick coupler' fixture from the rig's intake water fixture.  I set the coupler down just a few inches away.  About two minutes later I decided to screw the coupler back on......but it was gone.  I looked everywhere including on the ground.  Kelly looked all over as well.  The coupler had vanished into thin air.  I was convinced Aliens had beamed it up.  About an hour later I found the coupler attached to another part of the 'quick release' assembly on the end of our garden hose beside me.  I had obviously picked it up and screwed the coupler into that part of the hose but in those short two minutes my mind had completely erased me doing that.  Not even when I found it did my mind remember me picking up the coupler and screwing into the end of the hose.  Nothing, not even a scrap of memory.  Now if this was an isolated case I could say 'hah-hah-hah' how silly of me to forget that.  But it's not an isolated case and I'm afraid I have been very hard on myself as of late over this increasing memory problem of mine.  I know there will be a few readers who will understand exactly what I am talking about and many who won't.  That's normal because we do not all have the same sets of problems and challenges at the same time in our lives.  DSC_0002-002

DSC_0027-001DSC_0001-001

Kawarthagal left a comment on my Tuesday night post with a saying in it which says. 'Don't go there until you get there.'  It was in regards to my lament about our RVing future.  Despite my concerns being based in reality my mentioning it in a depressive state brought the 'don't go there until you get there' response and that saying has stuck with me today.  Most ‘sayings’ just blow right on by but this one has stuck.  I am maybe needing to get that tattooed on myself where I can see it on a regular basis.  For me when the heavier side of depression occasionally strikes it generally runs it's course in two, three, maybe four days before I am able to get myself back up on an even keel again.  By the way, for me depression isn't usually caused by one single thing, it's a combination of things built up over time which finally reach a tipping point and become too heavy to carry. 

DSC_0004-001

Pheebs and I did get out for an hour this morning but didn't go any further than the Marsh.   A short walk and we were home again.  Despite another beautiful Autumn day I stayed inside and stuck pretty close to my recliner.  I sometimes need a day like that to let my mind re-set itself.  Better days ahead.

DSC_0007-001

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Sid and Al were sitting in a Chinese restaurant. "Sid," asked Al, "Are there any Jews in China?" "I don't know," Sid replied. "Why don't we ask the waiter?"When the waiter came by, Al said, "Are there any Chinese Jews?""I don't know sir, let me ask," the waiter replied and he went into the kitchen. He quickly returned and said, "No, sir. No Chinese Jews." "Are you sure?" Al asked. "I will check again, sir." the waiter replied and went back to the kitchen. While he was still gone, Sid said, "I cannot believe there are no Jews in China. Our people are scattered everywhere." When the waiter returned he said, "Sir, no Chinese Jews."
"Are you really sure?" Al asked again. "I cannot believe there are no Chinese Jews."
"Sir, I ask everyone," the waiter replied exasperated. "We have orange jews, prune jews, tomato jews and grape jews, but no one ever hear of Chinese jews!"

----------------

A dark haired woman was riding on a train and reading the newspaper. The headline said "12 Brazilian Soldiers Killed."  She shook her head at the sad news, then turned to the passenger next to her and asked, "How many is a brazilian?"

20 comments:

  1. I like that saying "don't go there until you get there". I am going to try to remember that. I have bad anxiety at times, and I do the "what ifs". Worrying over things that haven't happened.
    I like the groaners corner.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hope things work out for you soon and things get better.
    Sorry to hear about rv Sue's Spike we almost met her near Pilot Knob California a coupe years ago but did not work out, So close yet so far away.
    Take care Al. and be positive about the future, if that helps.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Similar to my saying..."Don't pull tomorrow's clouds over today's sunshine".

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love this one Kevin. I need to remember them both so I can repeat them to my hubby. He is a worrier where I am more take it as it comes and stop fretting about it. Thanks!

      Delete
  4. I can understand your frustration with your short term memory loss but you are not alone and it has nothing to do with your age. It is Attention Deficit Disorder. All through my younger years I had problems finding things. Example hours were spent searching for my car keys and the entire time I was holding them in my hand. The only thing you are guilty about is being like the rest of us.
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Depression has been nibbling at me lately also. But I recognized it and am fighting back with lots of walking. That is my normally successful treatment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Don't go there until you get there....great saying! We have a sign in our rig that says "We will be friends until we are old and senile...then we'll be new friends!" It's ok, Al...be easy on yourself. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cute! I had this sign over my work station while in employment. I love it!

      Delete
  7. Hi Al, I read that quote just a month or so ago, glad you liked it. I too worry about things so now that
    is my mantra. At 70 my memory isn't what it use to be either so find I have to write notes to myself.

    Was sad to read about Bridget on RV Sue's blog. It was her blog that led me here way back when you all met....Take care Al

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi, Al. Kudos to you for writing such a fine post in spite of feeling down in the dumps. That took some effort. We really appreciate that.

    I, also, have followed Sue for years. Grieved with her over the loss of Spike, and , now, Bridget. I am so glad she has Reggie for some support.

    As to your memory problems. I know from experience that it doesn't help you much to know you aren't alone in coping with that. I could fill up the space here with stories like yours. My latest? Today I walked our two Yorkies. The 12-year-old who had knee surgery gets pushed in a stroller. The 4-year-old bouncy one is on a leash. Soon after I started our little walk, I noticed that there was a tied-up full bag in the stroller basket. Didn't pay much attention. BUT. In a while I needed to use a clean bag. Guess what? None to be found! When I got home, I asked Old Man if he had seen my little bone-shaped holder full of plastic bags? Yes. He saw it in the bucket that we collect those full bags in for the garbage man. He figured I meant to throw it away. So. Can't believe I was so &%€>£~. distracted that I would carry the wrong thing all the way from the front to the back yard & put it in the bucket!! Wow. A weird world I live in. A surprise every day! All we can do is make the best of it, and try to stay upbeat.


    ReplyDelete
  9. You know if you would tattoo that saying backwards on your forehead, you be able to read it every time your looked in the mirror while brushing your teeth. :) Just joking Al. I know all about depression, it never lets you know when it's coming but does show up fast when it wants to. Great photo of Bridget and Spike ... I loved reading about them on RV Sue's blog. Also that pic of Pheebs turning to look at you is a 'classic'. Hang in there, it will pass just like all the other times.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Al, you might be worrying over nothing on the short-term memory thing. I often do it, too. It's always when I'm doing simple stuff and my mind wanders to other things. It's never when I have to truly concentrate on what I'm doing. For a week or so try focusing on every little thing you do and see what happens.

    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the quote, it's just what I need. Depression seems to have moved in with me. Walking only helps for about an hour. I'm sad, I'm angry and around and around. Wishes for brighter days ahead for us both.

    ReplyDelete
  12. A very good post, Al, writing through your depression. We hope you find things to work through it as you have in the past. We enjoy reading although we don't always comment. Love the quote and will use it for my husband who does the same thing over things ahead of us.

    ReplyDelete
  13. You are not alone... and brave to share!
    Box Canyon

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think most folks over a certain age have short term memory problems. And when I was leaving the dentist office earlier this week I was searching for my glasses, only to find I was holding them in my hand! I truly feel that by our age we have learned and filled our brains with so much info over the years that it just takes longer to access it Sort of like memory problems on your computer when you need to clean up your hard drive and delete some old files. We can't do that, so our memories just get sluggish. I'm not thrilled with it, but I don't worry about it at all.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm in a depressive mood, too, right now. I haven't had a comment on my blog in...weeks. I basically shut it down to the bare minimum and I'm not even bothering with it much right now. I have more friends on Facebook anyway. Isn't anybody blogging these days? What's going on?
    Cheryl Ann

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've noticed many of the older Bloggers either have given up their blogs entirely, only blog sporadically, or have gone over to Facebook. The once big happy Blogland family of a few years ago seems to have scattered. I've noticed the comments on my blog have dropped way off from a few years ago as well and that's probably because I myself am not leaving comments on other Blogger's sites like I used to either and I have to admit I am not reading nearly as many blogs as I once did. I do feel guilty about that of course but like many other Bloggers maybe I have been at this too long. I know that's a poor excuse but it's the only one I got. It is extremely difficult writing a blog that is of interest to everyone and I struggle with that every single day. Can't really give you any advice on how to build a better readership and in fact I have a feeling we old blogging Dinosaurs may be the last of a dying breed. If so it has been fun while it has lasted.......

    ReplyDelete
  17. I stopped by because of a mention by RV Sue. Hadn't been here before, for some unknown reason. I found that I really enjoy your photography. Thanks so much for sharing! I'll be back!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your first photo reminds me of a Monet painting.

    ReplyDelete