Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[Opa]

Tomorrow I have an appointment to have the stitches removed my face and while still homely, hopefully I will no longer scare little kids once the Frankenstein's monster countenance is gone. I sure am getting tired of doctors yet I have a appointment next week with a wound specialist to see if they know how to get my elbow to heal. I've already been forewarned that it will probably require another surgery. Hopefully three will be the lucky number.

After the stitches have been removed I will head for the farm. Lots has been neglected for several years so I don't think I will run out of work anytime soon. While my friend is in great shape, he is working on his ninetieth year so many things he can no longer do, or what once took him a couple of hours now takes a couple of days.

While I'm still twenty years behind him I know that I can no longer work as hard or as long as I once did; plus I now work at a much slower pace. Oh the joys of aging.

This year I discovered another downside to this aging process. It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep my pants up. I've also discovered that wood chairs seem harder than they used to. Hope finally told me why this phenomenon has occurred. My butt is disappearing. This list of negatives aspects of aging just keeps on growing.

While my friend has cut his nephew off, he still wants to do something for his great nieces and nephew. Rather than wait until he dies he has decided to give them money now so that I would have to deal with it at his demise. He has ask me to coordinate their coming to see him and ask if we could have a fish fry while they are here.

During this year's Lenten season, David and his wife took Marvin to his church for a fish dinner. He remarked while eating that it wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as the fish you dad fries. The fish was deep fried with a heavy beer batter that he said he used to like but now wonders "where's the fish"?

 

[1muttsfan]

Sounds like it is your duty to spend some time fishing so that you can provide for the meal

 

[7 Biddies]

While my friend is in great shape, he is working on his ninetieth year so many things he can no longer do, or what once took him a couple of hours now takes a couple of days.

While I'm still twenty years behind him I know that I can no longer work as hard or as long as I once did; plus I now work at a much slower pace. Oh the joys of aging.

While I hate the aging thing for you and your friend, you make me feel better. Nearing 70, I find I no longer have the stamina I once had, and can only do an hour or so in the yard before having to stop. I usually go out in the cool of the morning because the heat really gets to me now, and I've had a lot of skin cancer so have to avoid the sun. If I can, I go back into the yard near sunset for another hour. So, I feel your pain; especially in my knees!!

Thanks for confirming it's not just something wrong with me. It's the price we pay for not dying young.

 

[Opa]

One thing for sure about this aging process, you don't get smarter. I am constantly finding things to do that aren't necessary, are often labor intensive, and yet I find myself doing them.

An example of that is the Planter Jr hand cultivator/seeder that I was given. It would have worked just as it was but since it was covered with rust and grime from sitting in the barn for the last 60 odd years I decided to completely disassemble it, clean all the rust off, and then repaint it in its original colors. Probably a stupid project and totally unnecessary for use in my garden since I already have a variety of hoes, rakes, weeders, and a small 10" rototiller.

Another example is my planning to make rose hip jam this fall. I know it is loaded with vitamin C and is very expensive to purchase. I spent some time researching it and it is another labor intensive project I find myself planning. There are rose bushes at the farm that while beautiful while blooming they are spreading like crazy. Since they haven't been maintained in years there was lots of dead stems I recently had to remove. I'm not sure what kind they are but instead of having the pronounced thorns you associate with roses, the stems on these are covered with needle sharp hairs. They also have some of the largest hips I have ever seen. So once we have a hard frost this fall I will be taking on yet another unnecessary project.

 

[EweSheep]

Mine too, missing it for a good while!

 

[EweSheep]

Well I am nearly 50 and have a hard time getting around at times. Did too much going up and down the stairs to do laundry, busted up my knees a few years back, landed on it pretty hard as I was stepping off the sidewalk. Its a wonder it didn't cracked my kneecaps. Not long before that, I fell in the icy parking lot. Oh my, it hurt! I was fortunate that I didnt land on top of my daughter, who was eight at that time. Now I am paying for it since I was ignoring the pains and aches.

My Dad is in his 70s and he is pretty active but slowing down ALOT. Took frequent breaks. He outlived his father by a year now and his older brother and sister still alive, one is active, skinny as a bean pole and the other one had hip surgery after she stepped in a weak board on deck, it caved, snapped her leg and hip in half.......very painful ordeal for her! Came to find out my Dad's other sister, moved back to Florida after a decade or so living here in Illinois, she couldn't cope with the severe winters, so she moved back to Florida and was much more active. I know I would love Florida but it would be too humid for me.

 

[mamagardener]

EweSheep, wouldnt it be nice if you could spend winters in Florida though. If I ever won the lottery I would buy a house up here in New England for the summer, preferably on the ocean. I would also buy a winter home in Florida. Right after New Year's I would go there until April, and miss the worst of the winter. Well a girl can d r team can't she?
Opa I didn't know you had stitches, I hope you're okay.

 

[7 Biddies]

NewSreel, wouldnt it be nice if you could spend winters in Florida though. If I ever won the lottery I would buy a house up here in New England for the summer, preferably on the ocean. I would also buy a winter home in Florida. Right after New Year's I would go there until April, and miss the worst of the winter. Well a girl can d r team can't she?
Opa I didn't know you had stitches, I hope you're okay.

I was born in Worcester, MA, although didn't spend much time there. Went back in 2nd grade while my dad was in Korea. That's the sum total of my time there, except for visits to my grandparents. My mom grew up there, and I still have cousins in the area. Where are you?

 

[7 Biddies]

One thing for sure about this aging process, you don't get smarter. I am constantly finding things to do that aren't necessary, are often labor intensive, and yet I find myself doing them.

An example of that is the Planter Jr hand cultivator/seeder that I was given. It would have worked just as it was but since it was covered with rust and grime from sitting in the barn for the last 60 odd years I decided to completely disassemble it, clean all the rust off, and then repaint it in its original colors. Probably a stupid project and totally unnecessary for use in my garden since I already have a variety of hoes, rakes, weeders, and a small 10" rototiller.

Another example is my planning to make rose hip jam this fall. I know it is loaded with vitamin C and is very expensive to purchase. I spent some time researching it and it is another labor intensive project I find myself planning. There are rose bushes at the farm that while beautiful while blooming they are spreading like crazy. Since they haven't been maintained in years there was lots of dead stems I recently had to remove. I'm not sure what kind they are but instead of having the pronounced thorns you associate with roses, the stems on these are covered with needle sharp hairs. They also have some of the largest hips I have ever seen. So once we have a hard frost this fall I will be taking on yet another unnecessary project.

Opa.

I don't think your IQ is declining ... you're using what you've learned over the years to do things you want to do and that make you feel productive. What else would you do with your time; watch reality shows on TV?? <oy!> People say I'm "old school" because I cook from scratch and keep an organic garden and chickens. Plus, I can my harvest. Ok. So, I'm old school. Shoot me. But, my food tastes much better than their microwave fare and packaged mixes, and it's healthier, too. And, instead of getting exercise out in the garden, they're glued to their iPhones while plaque builds up in their arteries. Who's less intelligent, now?

 

[tntchix]

Opa.

I don't think your IQ is declining ... you're using what you've learned over the years to do things you want to do and that make you feel productive. What else would you do with your time; watch reality shows on TV?? <oy!> People say I'm "old school" because I cook from scratch and keep an organic garden and chickens. Plus, I can my harvest. Ok. So, I'm old school. Shoot me. But, my food tastes much better than their microwave fare and packaged mixes, and it's healthier, too. And, instead of getting exercise out in the garden, they're glued to their iPhones while plaque builds up in their arteries. Who's less intelligent, now?

Amen!