Aren’t the beautiful flowers of the field great? It’s spring in the northern hemisphere and I’m anxiously waiting to go flower shopping with biking buddy, planting, gardening, and seeing the fruits of our labor. But this isn’t what the post is about. I couldn’t find a pertinent lead photo on the internet for the topic at hand, so we just had a very time out. Have you seen the Marie Osmond commercial for a joint supplement to help with painRead more
Posts filed in: Aging
#SoCS: Empty and Whole
The last thing I emptied was a small portion of me A memory A word A thought That escaped I can’t remember Where I was going What I was doing Or thinking Perhaps I was headed to the closet for a roll of toilet paper, but passed it by and grabbed a cup of tea instead Perhaps I was supposed to be somewhere else I can remember words like discombobulate and facetious, but blank-stare over the simple one that hangsRead more
Gibbs Sends His Congratulations
Geez. I’m still wondering how retired life got so busy, but it’s not a complaint. I rather like it this way because it beats spending too much time on the couch, watching mindless TV, in the midst of winter. Speaking of winter, my brother sent me this photo on Saturday morning. It snowed in Colorado, up to a foot in some places. This was my chance to laugh at his predicament and enjoy the cool 64F (18C) day in Wisconsin.Read more
#WATWB: You are Never Too Old
I know little about the game of golf, except for the time I took lessons and practiced with a few ladies from work. I quit after it seemed I was good at whacking the ball hard, but had no finesse in putting. I don’t follow players or watch golf tournaments now, but I know names of some of the game’s most famous: Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Lee Travino, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus. And then there’s PhilRead more
#SoCS: The Eyes Don’t Have It
I have worn eyeglasses since second grade. I remember sitting in the front row of the classroom and squinting because I couldn’t see the blackboard. I assume the teacher told my parents about my troubles and that was the beginning of a lifetime accessory. Being near-sighted, especially in the right eye, has its challenges. I can read without glasses, but take them off and I can’t see the color of a friend’s eyes when a few feet away. When attendingRead more
Walking in Their Shoes
I haven’t written much about my mother since she died from the effects of age and dementia almost two years ago. I think of her often, but once in awhile I come across something that reminds me of her terrible disease and what we went through together as her mind and health failed. Actor Zach Ward, whom I follow on Twitter, recently posted the following: “Today with Dad broke my heart. I am so sad & angry I want toRead more
#WATWB: Love in Writing
A month or so ago, I was lamenting to good friend and roommate Natasha about how I missed volunteering due to the pandemic. I missed the people contact and serving the local community. Soon after, Natasha sent me a link that would allow me to be a pen pal to an elderly woman in an assisted living or nursing facility. I let that go at the time for reasons that required justification and laziness. This past week, I thought aboutRead more
#WATWB: Restaurant of Order Mistakes
Most of you know that I lost my mother in February to the complications of age and dementia. Dementia is a disease that I witnessed firsthand and one that had me always looking for the bright spots as mom’s memory and health declined. So, it’s no surprise that the following story captured my complete attention and heart. It comes from Tokyo, Japan. The story is from 2017, but its premise is completely positive for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. “TheRead more
Go Help Yourself
It’s been forty-two years since I first met Mr. and Mrs. B. I will never forget that day. The former husband and I were dating and he took me to meet his childhood buddy and wife. Being just 19, still somewhat naive, and brought up by conservative parents who believed in manners, I was about to encounter a bit of a shock. As we drove down a long, gravel driveway, this black dog came bounding to meet us, tail wagging,Read more
Gravy Goes With Everything
My earliest memory of Pauline was of her standing on top of a chair, screaming as a mouse ran across the floor. This would not have been the usual, stoic, keep-it-together mom that was obvious to me later in life. I do not remember other episodes of this woman being hysterical, losing it to furry critters or when life was a bit topsy-turvey. I seldom saw my mother sweat, but perhaps growing up the youngest girl in a family ofRead more
Processing 16 Years
Over coffee on Saturday morning, a friend asked me, “How are you processing?” She was asking about moving forward from my mother’s passing in February. A number of friends have asked this question in various formats, with concern in how I’m handling a new chapter of life. It’s a question that’s contemplative in response, at times difficult and at times easy to put into words, but I will try to answer. This is more than about mom, it’s a journeyRead more
The Working Girl’s Purse
The last “mom” post was in August, when she turned 99. Not much has happened since, other than she keeps eating, drinking coffee and taking lots of naps. She’s having a hard time holding her head up as this is one of the effects of dementia – her brain is forgetting to tell her body what to do. When I visit, I never know if she is going to be alert or have a sleepy day. The most recent visitRead more
Mary J Melange 