BLOG 148—Learn About Beth

With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.
I want to inspire you to see life in a different and/or better way.

*** Remember, to read past blog posts, go to >>kitsummers.com/blog/
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** If you are not my Facebook friend, yet, please, befriend me.
*** The freedom I am experiencing in my travels is a marvelous thing!
*** Going where I want, when I want, and seeing wonderful places and people.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** I will have secrets to unfold and good news!

I WANT TO TAKE YOU AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

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INTRO TO THIS WEEK >>

You may know, before I met Beth I was traveling around the county, mainly going to National Parks and Wilderness areas, as I wrote this weekly blog.

After visiting every state and every national park, I was getting bored having to return to where I saw before.

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The Year Before Kit—Not a Good Year—Written by Beth Firce.

COVID 2020 happened—I panicked—I got to work from home, learned to adjust to a new way of living, and did what everyone else was doing. Except, unknown to me, 2020 was not good to me in many other ways. For the first time in my life, I got food poisoning. It wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t great either.

Living alone, I had to learn to cope with things by myself. Actually, living alone while sick was probably better than having a mate cleaning up after me. It wasn’t pretty. A month later I was doing a craft from Pinterest, using cat food cans, and I sliced open my pinkie finger. I am certain it needed stitches, but with Covid, and my fear of doctoring, I fixed it myself with some Superglue and band-aids. So that takes care of March through July.

Saturday morning, August first, I went outside to feed the cats with a large container of dry food in one hand and Hank, the turtle, in my other hand. I was going to let Hank go back to his home across the street in the big field. Box turtles live in the same area all their life. I have a turtle expert friend who taught me how to care for damaged reptiles until they are safe to be put back home. Hank had recuperated quite well and had gotten mean so it was time for him to go home.

For most of my life, I have helped injured animals (including humans). I don’t know how to “not” help them.

I stepped a little bit crooked onto the cement steps, lost my balance, stepped down onto the cardboard I had placed over the low lying muddy area in front of the steps, slipped, my feet went out, the cat food flew all over, I have no idea where Hank went, as I fell wrong, I hurt my ankle and was being bitten by ants.

Since there was no white night in shining armor around (where was Kit when I needed him?), I forced myself to move, to limp into the house, to pull off my dress, kill any remaining ants, apologize to the cats, and check my boo-boos. My ankle had a huge knot on the side. I thought it was broken. Well, I still had animals to feed so I didn’t want to stop doing anything until they were all fed. I hopped and swore a lot but I got my morning chores done and came inside to ice my ankle and go on FB for help.

My friend, and neighbor, Lauren, had a cane and an ankle brace she brought over. I got plenty of advice for ice/elevates/heat…offers to take me to the ER, basic help offered so I feel very grateful to live where I do. I took ibuprofen but my daughter reminded me we have a clotting factor and I need to be on aspirin, so now I’m afraid I’ll die and had to quickly text her my dying wishes.

My sisters want me to move to NC, ASAP, to be near them.

OK, I think I’m ready.

It’s only just noon and my brain and body are fried and I need a nap.

And I am wondering where Hank went (Update: I found Hank. He never left the place I dropped him.)

On August 3rd, I got an x-ray at the doctor’s and was sent to the ER, because, of course, it was broken.

And then, on November 3, the worst thing that ever happened to me.

I was having the best day ever and was so happy. I’d paid my bills, looked pretty for a change, and came home to all of my fur babies.

Without going into great detail, what happened next changed my life.

One of my own dogs went crazy and attacked my dog, Jemma. I had 5 dogs at the time, 4 in the house. I do not know why Candy turned on Jemma but I could not make her stop. My Benny boy, my precious sweet Benny, saw what was happening, grabbed me by the leg, and pulled me away from the girls to try to save me. He didn’t let go until I pulled him through the kitchen, down the back steps, and into the yard opening the gate where he finally let go and ran free.

At that point, my leg was shredded. I had the presence of mind to lock him in the outdoor kennel, call 911, call my neighbor, and still go back into the house and try to separate the dogs. I was screaming and crying so I don’t want to remember any of this, even though I do.

Ambulances, police cars, neighbors, friends, my yard was full.

I was placed with the very best surgeon Dr. Maughon, at Self Memorial Hospital, who saved my leg. Two of my dogs were euthanized, 2 adopted out, and Jemma was home waiting for her mommy to get back to her. She, too, was injured but recovered quickly.

Neither of us trusts other dogs now. The biggest change I’ve had in my life. I also thought that if I was happy again, something bad would follow so I stopped allowing myself to feel happiness.

For the last two incidents, my family and local friends, and acquaintances, were here for me. I had so much help with shopping, care of my other animals, rides to and from the doctors, and emotional support. If you have to be injured, there’s nothing like a small town, full of good people, offering help and showing up when you need them. I cannot thank these people enough.

Meeting Kit has changed how I now see my life. The fear of getting hurt again, of being alone to face a crisis, and having someone here that loves me 24/7 for the bad, and the good, makes me feel secure and safe. I hope I make him feel the same way. I’m glad to have 2020 behind me. It was a terrible, horrible year. From here on out, I know that life will be so much better, as Kit and I live and learn together.

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I do hope you like reading my words,

please let me know how it might help you.

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WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>

Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have an amazing ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.

This is why I find them so interesting, challenging, and important on our path to joy and happiness and finding ways to inspire ourselves as well as others.

Inspirational quotes and ideas provide us with a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.

I hope to inspire you with my words.
Words have power.
At any age, you can (and should)
make changes to make your life better.

You see, the way you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible for you, determines everything that happens in your life. It all derives from your quality of thinking.

When you improve the quality of your thinking,
you change the quality of your life—
sometimes instantly!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and/or, a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your own thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control!

In fact, you have complete control over only one thing in the universe — your thinking — and that’s where motivational quotes come in!

To keep your motivation, you have to use each day as an opportunity for improvement, to be better, to get a little bit closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it!

Self-talk is so important—THINK RIGHT!
Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

Remember, you are only as young as the last time you changed your mind. Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive and always reaching for advancement.

Remember, very little is needed to
make a great life.
I hope these words I pick do help you.

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BE INSPIRED BY THESE WORDS
From my book series, “Beyond Your Potential

YOUR BRAIN IS AMAZING!

In the old day’s people thought that, once you go beyond a certain age, your brain fails to keep learning and growing, to keep going BEYOND YOUR POTENTIAL using and to keep learning. Since then, scientists have discovered that we can continue to learn and grow through to our eventual death.

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR MIND, USE IT RIGHT.

For many years, the consensus was that if a person sustained a brain injury, their brain would not be able to operate normally again. The general thought was that once a brain was injured and it could not heal, but in more recent years, doctors and researchers have found that the brain can be amazingly resilient.

In my case, I have found that my brain and thoughts are actually much clearer in some aspects, and that I have a newfound perspective on the world. In fact, this book may not have existed if I still operated with the same thought patterns I used before my accident.

YES, THERE IS MUCH HOPE FOR A BRAIN INJURY VICTIM!

My brain experienced substantial trauma during my accident and was sloshed back and forth in my skull. I have since discovered that our brain has so many neurons that when some neurons are damaged or die, other neurons can take on their functions.

For your brain, you need to keep adding new knowledge and skills throughout your life to take full potential of your brains’ possibilities and potential.

YOU MUST KEEP LEARNING AND GROWING YOUR BRAIN—

FOR YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

Your brain’s structure changes throughout your lifespan. Scientists no longer see the brain as an organ that is “hardwired”, and therefore inflexible. All the thoughts you think, all the experiences you have, all the love you show, all the changes you go through, actually shape your brain by creating new neural pathways.

Your brain is learning and therefore evolving all the way to our last breath. It is a truly amazing organic machine.

YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!

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MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>

12/4—Today I started building the raised bed gardens. As you know, I do not like lawn, unless you have kids and it is to play on. So, growing plants to eat is a good thing. Is this something you might do? I am here to help, let me know.

12/5—We had to get out to the wilds, we returned to Baker Creek State Park. Jemma loved to be back in the out-of-doors.

12/8—Today I made my Japanese Fried Rice. I put together a recipe from a few good recipes, so my own gained from the best of others. This rice turns out better than restaurant-made, by far. You will love it, make some. Let me know how it turns out >>

Japanese Fried Rice

4 cups cooked rice

4 green onions

1 cup chopped onions

3 large eggs

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

1 or 2 cups of chicken or shrimp

Olive oil to stir fry

Start by, in a large pan, frying the rice how you can.
Then start mixing in the other ingredients and you continue to fry.

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Let me know how your fried rice turns out.

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YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK >>

When is the last time you wrote an old-fashioned letter?
Pick a close friend or relative, sit down, write a two-page letter to this person.

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NEXT BLOG >>

I have a couple of ideas, you will find out next week.

THIS WEEK, MAKE YOUR LIFE SOMETHING

THAT YOU CAN WRITE ABOUT!