”Old age comes on suddenly, and not gradually as is thought.”
My friends left yesterday afternoon so I’m back. With them, it is always as if we had seen each other the day or week before. We laugh a lot. We eat great foods that Peg always brings. We take rides along the ocean. On this visit, we went out to lunch. We stopped at a new place, the Maritime Museum in Hyannis where even I had never been. We took our time with the great exhibits and watched for a while a boat rocker building class. As for the dogs and my company, Henry stayed away a bit but then warmed to Bill and allowed patting. As for Nala, there are no strangers, just people to jump on and lick.
My house always feels empty after people leave.
Today is colder, in the low 40’s. The sun is so very bright, the sky a straight blue, but cloudy is the forecast. I have no list for today though I could be clearing spiders’ webs. They seem to be everywhere, across door ways, around chair legs and from frond to frond on my plants. I need to walk round carrying my duster.
My dance card for the week is uke heavy again. I have practice, a lesson and three concerts. Our music for the week is bluegrass.
When I was a kid, Saturday was kids’ day. Sunday was for family. With no stores open, there was only home or the grandparents’ house. I preferred home, but I had no vote. Now, I am the only vote. I stay home. The house is warm and cozy. The fridge is filled with great food, leftovers from Peg. I’ve already eaten toasted Irish bread, a wonderful recipe with orange and cranberries. The dogs are sleeping on the couch.
I’m old, but I don’t feel old; however, the signs are there. At stores and even the dump people ask me if I need help. I used to say no. I don’t any more. Everything is heavy. Also, all the tops of jars are difficult to open as are pill bottles. I have to use pliers. I think it is a conspiracy.
keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
November 10, 2024 at 12:44 pm
Mrs MDH and I have begun to recognize the later years and we are pushing as much as we can before we can’t. Last time in London I had all sorts of kind folks offering me a seat on the Underground. Very surprising to me, really appreciated and goodness gracious how did I become this old ?
People keep asking me when I am going to retire and now have a suitably obtuse response “I need (have to) work” which is open to interpretation
November 10, 2024 at 1:46 pm
Twice annually I have to meet with my direct report to discuss my work and my future plans. I will again inform him of my grand plan. I want to be wheeled out of the office on a gurney, either to the mortuary or to the memory care unit of the old folks home, whichever occurs first. 🙂
November 10, 2024 at 4:40 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I retired as young as I could and still get the maximum retirement amount. I have never regretted it. I have enjoyed these twenty years. I would never have been able to do the traveling I have, especially back to Ghana, if I were still working. I enjoy my days.
I am old by number of years. I am also wrinkled. I am so much less capable of lugging anything heavy. I don’t know when I realized that, but I did.
November 10, 2024 at 1:36 pm
Hi Kat,
Today is my bride and mine’s 39th wedding anniversary. Where has the time gone? Not only am I old, but I’m an old married man. However, I never pass up an opportunity to look at and possibly flirt with a beautiful woman, either young or old. After all, I’m married and I’m not dead. This anniversary I will be married more years than I was single. 🙂
The sun is out and the high temperature should be a pleasant 77°. My better half bought bagels, lox and cream cheese for breakfast. Our family is gastronomically religious. We are going to go out later today for an early anniversary dinner.
As the time goes by, I’m still 38 in my mind’s eye, yet my body keeps telling me it’s really 77 years old. I get pains in places I didn’t know existed in the human body. Until the flooring is replaced in my downstairs areas, all our bathrooms are temporarily only upstairs. This requires planning on the part of my bladder to give me the time to climb the stairs. 😦 Next week, hopefully, the reconstruction of my downstairs flooring will begin. The insurance company will put is up in a suite hotel nearby until the work is completed. The entire process is aggravating.
November 10, 2024 at 5:26 pm
Hi Bob,
Congratulations! Time has a way of rushing so fast we don’t notice. It is only when we celebrate life events that we realize. Next year it will be 60 years since my high school graduation, yours too. That is such a long time.
Today was in the 50’s, perfectly wonderful late fall weather. The clouds came and went. It is still in the 50’s and will stay that way tonight Supposedly we’ll get some rain.
I used to carry in 50 pounds of litter from the car. Now I drag in 20 pound bags. I sometimes have to empty heavy boxes that were just delivered as they are too heavy to lift. I also hate being old!