They've Gone Home

Kris and my China Dolls left for Tampa International at 7:45 this morning, and I just received a call that they had arrived in Indianapolis at 2:55 pm ------

Katie asked before she left this morning what I was going to do today after she was gone. I said I would probably cry a lot. And, sure enough, there were tears; but through them I managed to get the house back in order and the Christmas tree taken down put in the attic. Tomorrow, I will run the vacuum and mop the kitchen floor. With that done, most of the evidence of their visit will be gone...and loneliness will set in.

Most of their visit has been recorded in previous posts. But I have to say that this year’s visit was the best of all. I was afraid it wouldn’t be, due to having to have cataract surgery the day after their arrival. But all went well. I was able to take them to the swimming pool every day and go golfing with both girls on Christmas Eve.

The ‘highlight’ for me, though, was when Katie said that she wanted to go golfing alone with me. On Wednesday the 29th, we went. Our street was being sealed that day, so Kate and I had to walk (3/4 mile) to the golf course, carrying a 4 wood, 5 iron, 8 iron, a putter and my shaving-kit bag with balls and tees. I think in walking to the golf course with Katie, two hours caddying for her and our walk back home together created a bond between Kate and me that will last a lifetime.

The only disappointment of the visit was that the weather did not cooperate. We had two freezing nights and cool daytime temperatures. It didn’t seem to bother my two granddaughters, though. They were in summer dress the full time they were here.

To give you an idea of the unusual weather; following is a brief excerpt from today’s St. Pete Times: <<< This year’s weather was unlike anything Tampa Bay has seen in the 120 years records have been kept. It was an extraordinary year of temperature extremes, with the coldest winter on record and the hottest summer. And now we’ve posted one more final mercury-defying feat; it's the coldest December in recorded history. >>>

Happy New Year to all!

The Big Nine OHHHH!!!

Someone asked me today, "How does it feel to be 90 years old?," and I said, "It feels GREAT!"  And it really does.  But if you would have asked me 25 years ago if I would have made it to 90, I don't think I would have said, "Yes." 

I certainly feel fortunate...and lucky.  There are so many things I thought about -- in addition to my deep, deep grief -- when my only remaining sibling Chuck died last month. It makes you realize you're next, but you also wonder why you are the last one living of 5 kids.  And Lomie is the last one living of 12 kids.  She will, of course, become a nonagenarian on July 10th.  She reminds me of that practically every day.  We are both very lucky.

 

So today was a great 90th Birthday.  Kris and the girls enjoy my cooking when they come to visit, but today, they pretty much insisted on doing the cooking.  Mid-afternoon, Adrian and Katie made my birthday cake, and it was still a little bit warm when everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me.  That cake sure was good!  Tonight, the granddaughters gave me a haircut, and I told them they would have to come back every month to trim me up.

We have all had a terrific time together, and the time has flown by.  But I know they have to go back to Indiana sometime, and that time is tomorrow morning.  As well as things have gone, it makes me wonder why I ever worried about them not wanting to come down when I thought I would be limited by that cataract surgery on my right eye.

I have a renewed interest in adding articles to my blog now, but I would sure like some suggestions.  And now, my blog will truly be Nonagenarian Non-Sense -- thoughts and opinions of a 90-year-old. 

Sometimes I feel like I talk too much about myself -- whether it's about growing up, my time in the service, or my time after WWII.  But Kris keeps telling me to just keep doing what I have been doing...that my story is a "living history."  Although I feel a little too self-centered about it, Kris says readers don't take it that way...they "see" all the scenery, the other people that are part of the story, the events that take place, and all the other interesting details. 

But if you can please let know what you would like to read about, I will do my best to put those ideas on here.

Thank you for all your comments, encouragement, and continued contact.  

Brrrrrrrrrrr!

It's been cold here in paradise, and I haven't been happy about it.  Yesterday, it was 23 degrees when I woke up, and we'd had a hard frost.  Even by early afternoon, the temperature was only 53.  But the girls wanted to go for a swim.  It was sunny out, so we went.

Today, Katie wanted to go golfing again (Adrian didn't), so we played 9 holes.  She could be the next Michelle Wie.  When she gets ahold of one, she can knock it a country mile!

Tomorrow I will officially become a nonagenarian!  Katie and Adrian will make an angelfood cake for me, but they won't be able to ice much of it.  Lomie found the icing they bought last week at Winn-Dixie and ate most of it!

Past 3 Months

It’s been both a frustrating and pleasant 3 months. It started in October when I went to the County Tax Office to get my driver license renewed. I failed the eye test and had to go to my optometrist for an eye exam. He said I had very heavy cataracts in both eyes, but thought he could improve mv vision enough to pass the eye test by doing cataract surgery to my left eye. So I had the surgery done November 9th. That same day, I was notified that my kid brother, Chuck, had died. I was not able to drive to the Veteran’s Cemetery at Bushnell, FL for his funeral. It hurt!!!

The good news is that the cataract surgery to my left eye was successful, and the surgeon gave me a form certifying my vision as being good enough for my driver license. On November 17th, I mailed it in with a check and a mail-in driver license form. My computer showed that the check was cashed on November 22nd. 

Then around December 10th, something happened to the vision in my right eye.  It was dim and fuzzy.  So I went back to the eye surgeon for another eye exam. He was puzzled as to what happened and called in a Retina Specialist. The retina doctor gave me a thorough exam and finally gave up, saying that the cataract in my right eye was so heavy that he couldn’t see through it. So an appointment was made for cataract surgery to my right eye. It was to be done on December 22nd. 

I e-mailed Kris when I found out I'd have to have surgery on my right eye, and I suggested she and the girls might want to reconsider coming to Florida for their annual visit, if I was going to be restricted in my activity.  I didn't want those granddaughters to be mad or feel like their visit would be boring.  Kris called me as soon as she read my e-mail and wouldn't have any of that!  She said they were coming, and the only reason the girls would be mad is if they weren't able to come.

Kris, Adrian and Katie arrived on December 21st. Thankfully, the surgery on my right eye was successful, and the doctor seems to think the vision, though still a little fuzzy, will improve over the next few weeks. As of right now, I cannot read newspaper print, but my distance vision is excellent.

The granddaughters and I have been to the swimming pool three times so far, and they played nine holes of golf on Christmas Eve with their mother and I taking carts and caddying for them.

And, probably the best news of all, I finally received my driver license in the mail December 23rd.  It doesn't expire until December 30, 2016!  I doubt that I will need to renew it again!

Since I turn a true nonagenarian this Thursday (December 30th), I plan to keep my blog more up-to-date for the foreseeable future.

Sorry for the interruption in stories, but I hope you understand.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning.  The girls slept late, but when they got up, they were eager to open gifts.  Kris is making a ham and other fixin's for our dinner.  We'll walk down to the pool later today, then play poker.  It is a perfect day.  Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Golf Date

I golfed today with my two granddaughters, Adrian and Katie, who are visiting from Indiana with their mother. 

It was a great activity for Christmas Eve.