Tuesday, March 3, 2009

You're Only As Old As You Feel




Today was one of those days that remind me that I am getting older. I call it a maintenance day. It started out with the chiropractor first thing this morning getting my neck back into alignment. I enjoy the therapeutic massage before the adjustment, I almost went to sleep! How embarrassing that would have been if I had started snoring........oh the indignity.



Next stop was the eye doctor. I lost a pair of my glasses and really want two pair to take when we go to Puerto Rico in a couple of weeks so I stopped there to order them. Well, my prescription was a year old and they wouldn't let me order another pair without seeing the doctor first. Okay, no big deal, he had a cancellation so I hopped right in the chair. He asked if I was having any trouble and I said the only thing was when I play board games with T and D I have trouble seeing the board well. I can see distance and I can see up close, in between notsomuch! Trifocals! Yes, you heard me trifocals, now this ought to be fun. Took me two years to get used to my bifocals. Any of you out there use them? If so how long did it take you to get used to them?



Next stop was the drug store to pick up a couple prescriptions. I paid the bill and when I looked in the bag I noticed they had given me a Senior Discount card! They didn't even ask how old I am. Well I guess they know that already as I have to give my birth date every time I pick up something. Sigh......I always thought senior discounts were for old people.



Then on to the foot doctor to check the bone spurs I have on my heals. They are doing great but he said, I think you have one leg shorter then the other. So after measuring my legs, yep, one leg is shorter then the other. He said that I needed a lift. A lift?! Oh great. So he made this 'thing' out of foam and put it in my shoe. I stood up and almost fell over, no kidding, I felt all off balance! If I have had one leg shorter then the other for 57 years why do I need to be balanced now? Sigh again..... He said I would get used to it. I sure could use a senior coffee!!!



As most of you know we got hit with a nor'easter yesterday. Most of the northeast was under storm watch with the airports struggling to stay open. Glad I wasn't traveling. We got about another foot of fresh snow here on top of what we already had. It's very hard seeing around curves as the drifts are so high. Of course I had to go to the bank so headed out. The roads were plowed but still very snow covered as the plow crews were having trouble keeping up with it. School was closed for the day much to the delight of the kids and teachers alike. My plow man came several times to keep us cleaned out and I shoveled the path to the bird feeders three times so that it wouldn't get ahead of me. I like to shovel, it's such good exercise. There were hundreds of birds at the feeders!



Miss T called and wanted to come over for the day so DIL brought her over. She wanted to walk over on the path through the woods but it just wasn't safe. Storms bring in animals such as fox and coyotes and we didn't want her out there. Normally they are more scared of humans then we are of them but with so much snow they are having a hard time finding food so you never know what they will do.



She asked me to teach her how to knit so we went down in my sewing room to pick out some yarn and needles that she could handle. She really picked it up very quickly and knit up a storm off and on all day. She usually had a few extra stitches after each row but only dropped one and I could straighten it out each time. Notice who is snuggled up in her lap. It's Munchkin and she usually is out of sight when the grand kids are around but she sure was loving this.




Later in the day we made an apple pie to have for dessert with dinner. We cut some little things out of the top crust that made it a little fancy and she loved that. I just love having this opportunity to teach her these things. It's fun for me and fun for her and I know we are making precious memories. :o) Son came to pick her up after dinner and had a piece of the pie with ice cream so he was a happy camper too.



My friend that owns the stable came home from the hospital today. She has been in there about three weeks but thinks it was only a week. Isn't that a bit strange? Maybe it's from all the pain meds that she has been on. She will be in a brace for up to three months and uses a cane for now. I hope she comes back 100% but know this will take some time. They have told her that she is VERY fortunate that she wasn't hurt even worse then what she was. Hope she never gets up on that roof again!




Well American Idol is on so guess I'll put my feet up and watch that. These kids sure have a lot of talent!


Midlife/Senior Mom

14 comments:

Mrs. Mom said...

OH WOW!!! Look at T there. She is so serious about learning how to knit! What a grand grandbaby!!!

Glad you guys were not buried toooo bad up there. I was thinking of you all through the storms here, wondering how it would turn out up there.

Mmmmm apple pie. Cant remember the last time I tried to make one of those... or even much of anything from scratch really.

Stay warm, and no tipping over! ;)

Oh-- trifocals. I got my first pair (ready for this??) at TWENTY NINE. Yep, you read that right-- TWENTY NINE. I got no-line lenses and it took me about two hours to get used to them. I have single vision lenses right now, and boy howdy, there are days lately when I REALLY miss my noline lenses!! (*ahem* I am now approaching 39. Ten years... makes a difference!)

Susie said...

T looks like she picked up on the knitting quite well. She has such a good helper supervising her too :)
Your round of "medical specialists" made for quite the day!
Sort of like a major tune up or service on one's vehicle ;)
I've worn trifocals for years, but have the progressive type (no lines)
I could never get used to bifocals, but these seemed much easier.
We're having horrible storms here too, but it's leaving us some much needed moisture, so no complaints..
love you!
xoxo

Val said...

I wish I was there to learn how to knit with her. She is so cute. The apple pie sounds wonderful. I love having my grandbabies too. I have 4 and it is getting to the point that I need to get them one at a time for any teaching to be going on. Ha! Stay warm and cozy and safe. I loved reading all of your updates.

Needled Mom said...

I can understand why you would feel old after all those appointments. Yikes!

Trifocals are no biggy once you have mastered the bifocals. They are great for computer use too.

My first senior insult was when they gave E and I a senior discount at Mc D's on drinks. Hello????? Now if it had been the fabric shop I may not have been so insulted.

T really looks like she enjoyed learning to knit. It is so great that you are passing on those skills while you are enjoying the time spent with her. Memories are precious.

Glad to hear that your friend is out of the hospital. I hope she pops back sooner than expected.

We heard about your big storm. It sounded bad but I know how you enjoy it. We have had drizzle and cooler weather and it continues throughout this week.

How's the kitchen remodel coming along? Hope you are surviving.

Take care my friend. Hugs.

Dawn said...

I'm watching AI as I visit around the world here in my comfy chair. I'm amazed at how badly some of these kids are doing.

I would love to have more one on one time with the grand girlies - my kitchen isn't big enough to make a pie with two girls trying to help. It is a challenge to bake something all together. But they love to do it.

Trifocals - I don't look forward to that step. Right now I'm having trouble seeing my computer screen.

We could use some of that moisture around here! It's so dry and we're having 70+ weather this week. It feels good, but it's too early for this warm. We'll probably get a blizzard during spring break - hopefully not the 14th when I'm flying to KCMO.

Puerto Rico, eh? What are you going to do down there?

kdwhorses said...

Glad to see you teaching her new things!

And the weather, glad you didn't get it to bad!

Tri focials! I'm supposed to be getting Lasik done April 17, I can't wait! I'm so excited, but nervous as well!

Apple pie, yummy!

Nancy said...

Good Morning!

I dropped by to answer your question about taming Barnie...but I see you have put up a new post since I visited yesterday.

Bless little T...every little girl should learn to knit like that. She'll be making you a scarf for Christmas next year. ;) My aunt (now deceased) taught me after I had my babies, and my first project was a graph sweater! I love to make the designed sweaters. Good for T....she's a one smart little gal to master it so quickly! And Muchkin on her lap...that is just toooo, tooo cute!!! Gee, Munchkin looks so much like my Oliver in the face! I have lots of patterns packed away, probably still at my daughter's somewhere. When I left the big house to live on my own, I had to pack so much stuff away...most of it never to be unpacked again, probably.

Give yourself a few more years and you'll have even more wrong with the body. LOL It seemed to just kind of sneak up on me....it just seemed to happen so fast, like overnight...Oh, well, that's the perks of growing older!

I LOVE those Senior discounts! I think they offer to you these days when you hit 55. I have a lady friend in her 80's who is teaching me all the Senior tricks! I have 10% off cards to various places, and she has shown me which places give you a soda drink for 25 cents, etc. She's a hoot!!! She's been after me for 2 weeks now to go out and eat with her...but I was so busy with both jobs that I haven't had time. But now that the newsletters are all done and homeowners' statements are out, I will have time this week to go with her. She is so active at 84 and looks 65! She gets around better than I do! LOL She eats the proper foods and really takes care of her body...and I don't!

I got my first pair of tri-focals in 1990. I had the progressive ones, no lines, and I had no problem at all getting used to them. So make sure you get the no lines kind. But I prefer contacts to glasses any day. I now wear a bi-focal in left eye and a regular lens in the right eye...it is great, except for night driving. Then I have to remove the bi-focal one and wear a regular lens in that eye as the bi-focal makes things blurry while night driving. Don't ask me why, it just does for some reason.

The same storm we had went right up the coast to you. We still have snow on the ground! That is unusual for here, as usually ours is gone the same day! And we still have a LOT out there yet.

About taming Barnie...the easiest way really is to have him inside. Once he learns where his litterboix is, I would let him roam the house and get used to it and people on his own. I trapped a calico one time and took her straight to the vet, he took one look at her and said to me...his exact words..."Nancy, you will NEVER tame that one. She's a TRUE feral." Well, I released her the day after her spay surgery, and she took off like a wild rabbit. She kept returning for food twice a day and always stayed her distance. Then she started coming to the front porch when I would be sitting out there. I would just touch her tail, enough so that she knew she had been touched. Then I would cautiously touch her back, then I got to where I could kind of rub the back of her neck where the scruff is...and after 2 years of this, I had gained her confidence enough that I could grab her by the scruff and drop her in a carrier, and back to the vet she went to be checked out again...flea check, worm check, bloodwork for diseases, shots again, bath, etc., and then I brought her into my laundry room. She is like a baby in my arms now! The vet couldn't believe it! And she was wild as they come! So I am sure you can tame Barnie. 'Calico' tamed better once she was inside, though. I could never pick her up like that outside. Poor old girl, she's getting old now...but she's a sweetie! I have tried to introduce her into my living areas, but she is happier where she is and always wants back in the laundry room when I take her out of there. They will always have that need, though, to hide where they feel safe. But I think you can tame him, if anyone can! So go for it! I think these ferals have made the best pets, really. They seem to 'know' that you have saved them or something. It's just weird. I've always said shelter pets make the best pets, too. Good luck with him!

So it was raccoons who were sharing the barn with him! I would watch them for rabies, as here they carry rabies. Also, they have reported some coyotes in our area with rabies. One attacked a little girl while she waiting for he schoolbus in the dark one morning! She screamed and a neighbor teen heard her and went to her aid. He grabbed the coyote and then his dad came out with a gun and shot it while the boy held it. The boy was bitten, too, so now both are taking the rabies vaccine! So watch the grands going through the woods...if an animal is rabid, it will atttack!

Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book here! I enjoy reading your posts so much!!! Have a great week and weekend now!

((( HUGS )))

Alice Grace said...

I love your posts! You crack me up sometimes. You will get thru this, I promise! Senior discounts can be a blessing right now! LOL.
I love seeing your granddaughter learning to knit, looks like she is doing a great job!
Enjoy getting ready for that trip!

Renie Burghardt said...

Goodness, you certainly had a day of it. With everything corrected, you won't need anything done for a while, will you?

Trifocals? I only need reading glasses. And senior discounts are perks! Haha.

Your cutie T sure picked up fast on the knitting. What precious memories she will have of her granny teaching her to knit, among other things.

You know, once upon a time, when I was looking for a country place, I even considered Maine. The snow and cold was what changed my mind about it. I just don't do well in all that white stuff. You seem to thrive in it. But oh my, going off to a warm, tropical place will be a nice break from all of it, won't it? I am going on a long weekend in March, to a Casino! Woo Hoo, that should be fun. Casino Mama!

Apple pie and ice cream are a nice way to end a good day.

Your posts are always such fun to read!

Hugs,

Renie

Frazzled Farm Wife said...

Nothing like making the trip to town worthwhile.

You are such a great grandma...teaching T how to knit....precious!

Carole Burant said...

You mean I have all those problems with my body to look forward to when I get as old as you???? Runsssssssssssssssssssssssss!!! hehe I know what you mean, though, even getting out of bed in the morning takes a little longer! lol At least you're having everything looked after:-) I'd never heard of trifocals, only bifocals since that's what my mom wears. I do remember when she first got them, she was tripping all over the place because she wasn't used to them.

I had to laugh about the senior discount because it reminded me of something...a couple of years ago when Steve & I were in Niagara Falls, NY we had gone to a restaurant and Steve, knowing that I have a hard time finishing up a plate, asked the waitress if I could have the senior menu and order from that since it's smaller portions...I just about killed him! LOL He was right, though, it was the perfect portion for me. Sigh. lol

Love the concentration on T's face as she knits:-) Bless her heart for wanting to learn, so many kids these days don't want to learn stuff like that. You're SO lucky to have her nearby and can teach her so many things. Even baking apple pies...yummmmm!!

More snow...UGH! We both need to move to a tropical climate me thinks! lol And what's this about you going to Puerto Rico in a couple of weeks?? Can I come tooooo????? I wish:-) Love you my friend. xoxo

hippo chick said...

HI MM,

I enjoyed this post. It reminded me of my dear MIL teaching Gretchen to knit. I had forgotten that she had taught her. A couple of years ago while I was knitting at G's house, she took a pair of my needles and started to knit. She remembered it all from when she was about 9. I was so touched that she had that wonderful gift from her grandmother. You are so blessed to be living so close to your children.

I couldn't help but laugh when you talked about tipping over with the lift. Isn't aging wonderful?

I envy you the trifocals. I often think that I need them,but the doc says, "No".

Have a great weekend and enjoy the snow.

BTW, I have seen no horses. My daughter says there is a horse farm near her. She would love to have space to adopt some wild mustangs (which she explained to me arent' really mustangs at all). Mrs. Outdoorswoman. She plans to return to college this summer to get a degree in outdoor management/camp management. Her dream (at 33) is to become a park ranger or camp manager. We wish her well and pray for job openings.

I've really gone on and on. Sorry about that. But I tend to talk a lot to my "friends".

~hippo hugs~

Callie said...

Oh Good grief! bone spurs, eye glasses, Senoir discount! I dread it! Stephen has his official AARP, not me . Not yet, I refuse to accept AARP! LOL

palmtreefanatic said...

WOAH!!! She is doing GREAT on knitting! she could teach me;)

Apple pie sounds great! Stay warm!