The Heymann Family Journal

Aging in place is the idea of staying in your home as you grow old. One of the biggest problems people have in their home is the bathroom. If we plan to redo our bathroom this summer I think it's wise to just do it adaptable now. Even if we don't need the design now...we will age into it. So with a bath it means grab bars on a zero clearance shower that also has a seat, and an adjustable shower head. We have 4 flights of stairs in our house. It's not the most ideal place to grow old in. But universal design is a good idea for everyone. It could be the difference between staying in your home or going to a nursing home. I'm not even 50 yet , but if we put in a new bathroom maybe We should be looking 20 years ahead? And when my parents visit now it can still be good for them!

Here are photo's from my garden today. The tomatoes are starting to produce fruit. It's so interesting to see the different sizes and shapes of these heirloom tomatoes. Soon they will be a rainbow of red, yellow, orange, black, purple, green and even white. In a week or 2 they will finally be ready to eat. I'm watering them every single day, even 2 times per day because of the heat. I hope to make sauce, salsa, and even sun dried tomatoes. And I love eating cherry tomatoes like candy. We will have lots of tomatoes for our salad too! And I'm getting squash , peppers and eggplant. I also have a large variety of summer flowers. And look at the grapes and kiwi! We have strawberries but only enough for a handful at a time. I'm seriously thinking about keeping my house. We hope to have it painted in the fall. The bathroom will maybe get done in August. To move would cost allot of money and time, and create a hugh amount to work. In the end I fear I could...

I'm able to move slowly today. I got up at 9am to water my plants. It is getting very hot. They say it will be over 100 F by Saturday. The kids come home early when it's hot because there is no air conditioning in the schools. I am stiff and have a little pain. I can move slowly. I'm glad nothing is broken. I tripped on the garden hose. We need to mount the hose to the wall. The pathway is too thin to have the hose just laying there. I could have broken my leg! I'm OK, thank God! It does make me think about my age. Am I really young enough to manage a small farm? I want a bigger garden, but how long could I actually manage a bigger garden? Falling down was a shock to me, and it makes me think. I'm not old yet...but I can not stop that stupid clock! I hate having to even think about getting old. If I don't plan on it...will I be able to manage it? Perhaps it's wiser to perfect what I have, and not take on new responsibilities? I want to...

RICE, or rest, ice, compression and elevation, is a well known treatment for acute injuries and joint pain

I was in the garden cleaning up. I was carrying something down the path and tripped over the hose, and fell really hard. I twisted my bad knee and landed hard on my wrist (the wrist I sprained in China). The pain was intense. At first I thought I had broken my leg and arm. I just sat there in shock like a old person in one of those commercials. I kept praying, Oh God help, please God help. Know one was home. I wasn't sure I could stand to go into the house. But after a few mins I could see it was not a break. I slowly walked into the house and iced my knee and wrist. My knee is weak, but OK. My wrist hurts pretty bad. I don't think its broken, just sprained. I took a hard fall in China 3 years ago. I was taking pictures, and tripped on something. I have a brace for my knee. This is the knee I tore the ligaments in about 5 years ago. I guess I've always been a little accident prone. I’m always thinking and dreaming when I’m in the garden. I guess I had be...

It's warm outside. I don't know how hot it is but I'm sweating! I need to do some gardening . I'll wait until it cools off. As long as I keep watering everything my plants love the heat. Especially the tomatoes. It will feel good to take a shower tonight. We don't have any grand plans for summer vacation. I hope to be harvesting tomatoes and make sauce. The kids will be going to camp, maybe we will remodel the bathroom. I am also hoping to buy that video game system that does Nero feedback. I will be making the kids read and do extra math every day. We may do some weekend trips. Maybe a trip up north to see Juergen’s Dad, and a trip to Disneyland in Paris. I would love to go to Thailand for 3 or 4 weeks. That’s not going to happen this year…but maybe next summer!

My kids took off on a parade around the neighborhood! Germany 4 to 1 over England!

Germany plays England in the world cup today. My family will see it on a big screen TV at church. It's so exciting for Germany! I hope we win!!! USA played a very good game last night. They should be very proud. In 4 years or so they could be winning the world cup! Towards the end of the game the goal keeper from team USA was with his team mates fighting for one more goal. I never saw anything like that. They didn’t lose with out a good fight! I’m sorry America lost, but I’m glad Africa still has a team in the game.

Cherry, strawberry and raspberry jam.

I'm growing a bucket garden at my friend Petra's house. We added a few new containers of plants today. Everything is doing great. As you can see, we have peppers, zucchini and tomatoes. The kids jumped on the trampoline and I worked in the garden with Nicole. We also picked cherries. Tonight I watch the USA game. The weather is wonderful and it feels so good to be tired from garden work!

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I had a hard time dragging myself out of bed today. I’m glad it’s Friday. We can sleep in (God willing) in the morning. The weather is very nice. I hope to do allot of yard work. I’ll work on my garden today, and Petra’s yard tomorrow. I took the kids to Bad Schönborn yesterday. Nicole is getting tutored in Math by my good friend Inkeri. Philip and Sarah jumped on the trampoline while I watered plants. The plants are all doing excellent in the bucket garden. I harvested a large bowl of salad. The bell peppers are half grown, the cabbage is forming heads and there are about 10 tiny cucumbers on the vine. Everything looks beautiful! Now I want to expand the garden to include about 10 more large containers. We may need to skip the paint for now. We can grow flowers and veggies this summer, and paint the containers in the fall or winter. It’s getting late, and we don’t have time to paint anymore. We will see what can be accomplished tomorrow. I have tiny tomatoes on my pl...

I made shrimp with coconut curry and rice for dinner tonight. I used fresh peas and spinach from my garden. Nicole now says she likes shrimp as much as Philip. I wish my dad was around to share it with us. He loves shrimp too! The shrimp was on sale this week. If I had a big freezer I would buy more. It's fun to spoil the kids now and then. Juergen doesn't really like shrimp, and I could take it or leave it. This is basically for them! Sometimes I'm amazed at the love God has given to me for these kids. They can drive me crazy but I worry about them and love to spoil them. God loves us like that too. Every once in awhile he spoils us...even when we haven't been good...just because it gives him joy. Every good gift comes from him!

I had a check up today. I get so nervous before a doctors appointment. I guess I am worried they will find something wrong. Fear is such a powerful tool to paralyze us. But Juergen prayed with me and I felt OK. So it looks like everything is fine. This was the gynecology check up. Now I need to go to the house doctor for the blood screening, and another clinic for a mammogram. I have to pay for the mammogram because they are not free until age 50. It takes a little work to get a real checkup around here. I feel like an old car. I drive OK, but the oil needs to be changed and the break pads changed, and you can only expect so much at my age! The warrantee has expired years ago. If I want to keep on the road I’m going to have to get regular maintenance!

Jessica has been sick for 2 days. Today she felt better and wanted to go to school but her teacher is sick. She is home again. I have a head cold. Juergen let me sleep in today. I feel like my head is swimming! But I need to get up and get going. The yard needs water, the cloths need to be washed, the poor dog needs a walk. I don't have a maid...I am the maid! I'm not very good at the job, but it's hard to find good help these days! The family keeps me for sentimental reasons!

not me, Jessica. Jess is sick again with fever and an upset stomach. Poor baby!

NASA has helped develope technology that helps provide biofeedback to help treat ADHD. Here is a video about this.... http://videos.howstuffworks.com/nasa/2135-treating-adhd-with-video-games-video.htm You can buy this technology HERE . This system works with the Sony PlayStation Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet. This is a very easy game that I think even Jessica could play. It also works with games the boys would want to play! Sounds very interesting. We really need to look into this!