Confessions of a Grandma

Wandering around the antique shops the other day was a major nostalgia trip.  Nostalgia on so many levels. One shop was filled with depression era items--the glassware that my mother amassed by going to the Saturday matinees.  The dishes and tinware that filled her kitchen were a snap of recognition and then memory around every corner. My mother would have been amazed to see the prices on some of those pieces.  She did not consider her things anything but useful items to have in the home. She had a banjo clock with a picture of Mount Vernon on the case hanging on the wall.  I once referred to it as an antique and she actually snapped, "That is not  an antique!  That belonged to my mother!"  Which would have easily made it 150 years old, but to my mother's mind, antique  and junk were synonyms. Seeing the prices on some of that stuff made me think that maybe we should not have been so quick to give it away.  We all took what little we w...

When kids came to my parents' door saying "trick or treat!" my dad would always say, "I'll take the treat." Happy Halloween The sun made an appearance today and I was happy to see its face. It wasn't sharing a whole lot of heat though.  I went out for a walk just a bit after noon and I noticed that my shadow was about six feet long as I traversed to the north with the sun behind me.  Coming south at the end of my loop, the sun was shining right in my eyes.  The wind was pretty bitter, but we have not had the dumps of snow that they have had in southern New England, so no complaints.  I was out and I was getting exercise and it felt good. I was tempted to make the trip to Rutland, VT for the Halloween parade.  School bands from that county and area businesses submit floats and my son-in-law put together a float this year.  He has a roofing business.  Grandson Dane was apparently quite excited about Halloween this year and was greatl...

Susan Adcox who writes about grandparents  at About.com had the love/luck of chocolate going for her name in my hat.    So, Susan, e-mail me an address and I will send you Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life as part of the Pass-the-Book.  And check out Sian's blog-- High in the Sky --to get the full rundown on how it all works.  The author is way too young to be a grandparent, but she has an interesting blog and some good recipes. *********** Mike has surprised me big time!  He has cut way, way back on salt.  I never thought he would even try.  Here is a man who put liberal shakes of salt on pepperoni pizza, sausage, Chinese food and tacos.  I guess a night in the hospital made a believer out of him.  And, he is even talking about getting himself a pair of pajamas! *********** Can you tell how swollen my left big toe is from my graceful tumble down the stairs several weeks ago? I have not been able to wear sandals with a ...

I often use a cast iron pan.  Mine have been around a lot longer than any nonstick coating pan.  They are easy to clean when well seasoned--a wipe out, a rinse with water, another wipe out usually does the trick.  Sometimes I put the wet pan on a lit burner to dry it out and/or give it another light coating of oil. The other day I left the burner on and went into the other room to watch TV.  I could smell something "hot" and I even felt warm, but I never made the connection until Mike came upstairs and found a glowing red pan sitting on the gas stove. This bothered me less for the house burning down potential and more for the senility setting in probability. I was adding it to the  recent incident of finding that I had two left handed rubber gloves and not being able to figure out right away that one was turned inside out.  Yikes! Is it possible to still have blonde moments even after turning gray? I got on the computer and searched "brain, aging...

I received this video in an e-mail from a friend.  Ginger Rogers, at 92 years of age, dances with her 29 year old grandson.  It starts out slow and staid, but then heats right up into a salsa.  The great thing is, I still have almost thirty years to learn how to do this!

If you missed reading  TIME GOES BY  last Friday, I suggest you wonder on over there and check out the video--and I don't mean the one of the kitten.  Ronni followed up with a post today--about derrieres.  It is worth wandering on over again because she includes another picture. It got me thinking, in the way reading blogs so often does.  No, I wasn't thinking about the fact that I have grown up to be a dirty old woman.  I was thinking about what a true adventure this stage of  life has turned out to be.  Seriously, it takes a tremendous amount of courage these days to blunder into the bathroom each morning and get that first bleary eyed look in the mirror. Oh, I coasted for a long time on having poor eyesight.  Do all my bathroom things without putting on my glasses and it is easy to go on believing that I actually look like I think I look.  Sadly, though, at some point reality has to take hold.  It catches me off guard and I hav...

According to a recent post in Time Goes By , a test for the plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease is likely to be available within the year. A rock drops to the pit of my stomach just thinking about that.  My mother suffered from senile dementia--it was never definitively diagnosed as AD--for at least the last dozen years of her life.  Every time I have the slightest brain fart, I get that sense of impending doom.  Never mind that forgetfulness has been a part of my personality since I was able to spell my own name--or not.   hey, it was an easy spelling to forget. So I can maybe find out if I am likely to get Alzheimer's.  Do I want to know?  NO!  Do I think it would be the responsible thing to do to find out and plan?  Yes.  Will I line up for an evaluation as part of a study or as a potential patient soon as it is available?  I really don't know.  I REALLY DON"T KNOW! I mean screening for something there is treatmen...

I read recently that the expensive walking shoes actually are hard on the knees.  This gave a slight bit of vindication.  I do have walking shoes that I wear out on a regular basis.  I have always hated spending the money for somethng that just does not last very long. Part of the problem, perhaps, is the shape of my feet.  With narrow heels and wide forefoot (Hm, sound duck-like), something is always rubbing or pinching.  Holes wear into the shoes OR (worse) into my feet.  In either case, out those shoes have to go. However, a couple of years ago, I bought these Speedo brand flip flops.  They are by far the most comfortable things I have ever had on my feet except warm, cozy socks.  And I can wear them while walking, even a brisk exercise walk, if the weather permits bare toes.  They cling to my feet--no rubbing, no pinching.  There is enough cushion on the bottom and a quick swish in sudsy water and a rinse off keep them fairly clean...

In my catch up blog reading, I have noticed a lot of painful experiences.  Accidents, illnesses, deaths, relationships, jobs, any of the stuff of everyday life can cause pain-- physical or emotional .  We all cope in different ways, but, for those of us accustomed to writing, the very act of writing things down can be a tool for dealing with whatever life throws at us.  It seems that writing a blog brings us into contact with a supportive, like-minded community of individuals we might otherwise never have met.  This may not necessarily be a substitute for the support of family and friends in "real life," but it is certainly another source--and who doesn't need a little extra support or an added prayer at some point? Another thing, I often note is that we tend to apologize because we are not "supposed to" mention our aches and pains, examine our trials, expose our emotions in public. Perhaps this is a generational thing.  I remembe...

The weather predictors admitted that they were taken by surprise by the snow storm.  Travel four miles down the hills to the south or the west of us and there is only an inch or two covering the ground.  Travel north or east and you'd be gaining elevation, so I would guess it is more.  We have 16 to 24 inches.  During the cleaning up of the walkways and driveway, I honestly had to ask myself just how much longer we will be able--and willing --to keep up with the maintenance required by home ownership, especially a home in this kind of winter climate.  My brother now lives six months in North Carolina and six months in Vermont.  The wisdom of that is dawning on me!  Well, no, we can't afford two homes and I'm here complaining about the upkeep on one home, so I guess I'll just have to keep  looking for other options. Mike dragging the snow blower.  When he gets done, the street plow will roar by and push the road snow back into the dri...

THE very worstest thing about a warm day in the fall when you live in the country is the g*#!d*#! flies.  I could spend the whole day vacuuming them out of the windows.  And, of course, last week I washed windows--just in time for the g*#!d*#! flies to spot all over them. Ick! I went for my annual physical yesterday.  As usual, my blood pressure was high the first take in the doctor's office, but this time it didn't go down with subsequent readings--averaged out at about 160/90.  Yikes! Now I have to go back and have it monitored again.  I think it was because I was somewhat dehydrated.  It is my opinion--unsubstantiated by any science--that all the ailments known to women stem from dehydration.  I drank lots of water last night and this morning my BP was 118/56.  On Thursday, I'll get my fasting blood work done.  Last year my cholesterol had gone up quite a bit.  With the increased fruit and veg intake, reduced meat and ...

Margaret, Margaret, Margaret, why, why, why did you have to write about flat butts ???  For two weeks now I have done nothing but notice the flat derrieres of women of a certain age and beyond.  This, of course, includes myself.  I notice saggy pants just ahead of me in the line at the grocery store.  Right away I have to check my own rear in the window reflection.  Oh, no!  Another pair of pants for the donate bag.  I cannot leave my house without trying on, checking out and then changing at least three times.  One thing for sure is that going out in sweat pants--well, unless you consider a soggy diaper the height of chic--just don't go there. Then of course there are the bodacious booties of the college girls and younger women with personal trainers and life long gym memberships sashaying around in their skinny jeans and jeggings.  My envy seems lecherous and unseemly.  I should revel in my mature body and the life journ...

All I can say to this is: You go, girl!   What a positive statement about aging. I don't know what to say about this either, except that it is pretty negative of statement about something.  I read in the paper about a high school boy who was seriously injured at his tech. center, in the electrical lab.  He attached an electrical cable of some sort to one of his nipples.  A second student attached another cable to the first's other nipple.  A third of these rocket science scholars plugged it into an electrical socket.  The resulting shock was enough to stop the boy's heart.  The boy and his parents are now suing the the teacher, the school, and the school district because the teacher did not adequately warn the boys about the dangers of electricity.  Good grief.  Kids can do some stupid things and sometimes they get hurt.  Still, I'm inclined to believe that if my kid did something like this, I'd want to keep it quiet rather than m...

I've convinced myself that there is dire need for some interior painting--upstairs ceilings, the entry way and hallway.  Mike is not so enthusiastic.  He did agree to may color choices, but is insisting that we hire someone to do it in the fall.  I was prepared to take on the task myself, but oh, well...anything to make him happy.  I'll find something else to do with my time. I spent quite some time in the gardens today.  I weeded the flower beds and planned out the next area to dig up.  I have to spread some things out.  Of course, I could dig some plants up and just throw them away, but that seems wrong.  On the other hand, I don't want to get to a point where I can't maintain.  I'll have to think on this some more. I went with my friend to our other friend's house on Friday--to pick up out stamping purchases.  "Mother" joined us for lunch.  Here is a woman in her 90's who maintains a summer house on the lake in VT, ha...

Linda, in A Slower Pace post, mentioned the need for changes in make-up as we age.  This is something I have been thinking about.  I've given up (finally!) the hopeless quest to find that magical product that will erase wrinkles and age spots, returning my visage to a former youthful glow.  Looking young is for young people.  The thing is, I never was much of a make-up user--a dash on of mascara and maybe a dusting of powder or a tinted moisturizer.  Now, if I don't feather on some eyebrows it looks exactly like I have none, but mascara just serves to emphasize my sparse eyelashes.  I think I'm better off without it.  I can definitely see that I need a little lipstick, but I cannot seem to remember to put it on. Then, of course, there is all the information about changing clothing styles as we age. This seems harder to do than the make-up thing--probably because I would have to actually have a style before I could change it. I rea...

When my son was born, at the end of the '60s, it was common that the hospital stay would be five days for a routine, no complications birth.  By the time my daughter was born, in the early '70s, that was becoming not the practice, but I had insurance and my doctor told me he'd keep me in hospital for five days.  Really, it wasn't bad.  I got to lay around in bed all day and watch television.  My meals were all brought to me on a tray.  Babies were brought in on a feeding schedule or for showing off to adoring relatives who stopped by in the evenings.  Otherwise they were all kept in a nursery, and the crying emanating from there surely was not my baby.  It was a five day reprieve from reality and after going through childbirth, I deserved it. Also it gave me time for the drugs to wear off. I'm thinking about this for two reasons.  First, my sister called to announce the birth of her third grand child--a boy, son of her youngest son....

Our deck is finished!! Now for the cleaning up. Ever notice how you spiff up one thing and three other things get dirty in the process. I'd wanted to wash the siding around the deck and wash the windows that were splattered by the pressure washer, but I woke up to a rainy, drizzly day. It was a good day to dust and vacuum inside. I guess it is just as well since my back is pretty darn achy from the painting on the stain, and my hands are sore. The sore hands bother me because I treated myself to some expensive merino wool to make a shawl and I'll have to wait to get it started. Old age, not for wimps, as they say. At least it teaches a certain patience.

Mike's doctor sent him for some screenings after his last physical. Mike had no complaints or concerns, but he has reached a certain age apparently where the medical profession feels compelled to look for stuff. It was major effort on my part to get him to go for a physical several years ago, but he has been good about going since. He also sees a dermatologist on a regular basis now. He always comes back and says, "Great! Everything's fine...What? This bandage? Oh, he just scraped off a suspicious spot. It's not the bad kind of cancer" OR: "Why are we being charged for surgery? Oh, they took off some polyps during my colonoscopy. No problem." Granted, these have been small things that were easily fixed, but he might have mentioned it, I think. After the tests, he got a report from the doctor. Everything looked fairly good but there was a mention of small tumors on the kidneys of "unknown origin, probably not concerning." "Mike...

What a beautiful day we had even though a bit on the chilly side. It was so spring like with green all around, crab apples and lilacs blooming, a bright blue sky. I woke up to the sun shining and the birds singing and was just in a good mood all day. Our shared activity for the day was a ride to Graniteville, Vermont. Mike had seen a pressure washer for sale on Craig's List and he was the lucky one to be first to call about it so we went to pick it up. It was certainly obvious today why Vermont is nicknamed the "Green Mountain State." This means, of course, that we will be starting a deck refinishing project soon. Sometimes I really don't understand the attitude of some folks who are determine to stay in their "own home" no matter what. I mean, fine, as long as we can keep up with the maintenance requirements (physically and $$$wise), but I'm quite sure at some point the effort involved will totally lose its appeal. I expect at some point we'l...

Mike went for a physical yesterday. Our doctors have now gone to computerized medical records so he came home with a printout of diagnoses and recommendations for follow-up tests. If you looked at the list of diagnoses you might wonder just how long he has to live and yet we consider him to be basically healthy. His blood pressure is a little high and his cholesterol is a little high (but with an excellent good to bad ratio) and if he drops a few pounds, as he has started to do, those things will undoubtedly normal out. There are other things to watch, but not big things at this point. I could nag him about sun screen and eating my wonderful vegetarian creations for the sake of his digestive health, but to no desirable effect. He has decided on his own to cut back on portion sizes and get more exercise so I applaud those efforts and just hope he'll see the light about some other healthy tweaks to his life style. I think he was a bit shaken after his trip to the antique mo...