Dementia Unit

When I attended the North Carolina State Fair a  month ago, I wrote that when I
was ready to go home, I couldn’t find my car.  I walked up and down the parking
area for 40 minutes before I found it. I vowed that I would pay more attention to
where I parked so that would never happen again. It happened again.

As I entered the parking garage next to the doctor’s office, I noticed the three closest
gates to get parking tickets were backed up with three or four cars in each one.  
But off to the side was another gate and empty. I got my ticket from it, wound my
way around many loops in the garage until I found a parking space. I made a mental

note that I was parked against the far wall and noticed a sign that said Level B.  I walked
to the elevator, got on with another man who asked me where I was going. I said to
the bridge that crossed the street to the doctor’s office. He said that’s level two and
punched the number. I assumed we were going down to level two.

After my appointment, I paid for my ticket, got on the elevator and thought that I was on
the next level up, Level B.  I got off the elevator and it was Level 3, not B, but a sign
showed a Row B. I looked for my car against the far wall.  No car. No problem. I took
the elevator to Level 4. Same thing. Row B, not Level B and no car. I wondered
how I could have misread Level B when it said Row B.  I checked Level 5, then
Level 1 before finding a parking attendant. She looked at my ticket and said I parked
in the physician and staff area. Try the basement.

I took the elevator to the basement and signs said Level B.  I walked to the far wall
and there was my car. Apparently, the gate I used was reserved for physicians and
staff and instead of going up in the garage, I went down.

When I got home, I filled out an application for the dementia unit, but after analyzing
how I got in the basement, I put the application in my desk drawer.  Anyone could
have made the same mistake??????

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Christmas Concert

The annual Christmas Concert at Carolina Preserves was held this past weekend.  Aloma
sings in two concerts a year and has been practicing for this concert since August.  The music
was beautiful. Even though the average age of the singers is about 65, they have a talented
director who works them hard.  A robust standing ovation followed the final song. At a cast
party yesterday, the director was so pleased and said how proud she was of everyone.

The Carolina Preserve Dancers performed to lively songs from “Grease” and also got loud
cheers from the sell-out audience of about 200 people.  It was a great evening.

Before the concert, I hosted 15 people in our small house for drinks and a light supper.  Since
Aloma was preparing for the concert, I was on my on for the party. That makes me nervous.  
But I had lists for my lists, got my shopping done early and cooked BBQ chicken the day
before. Everything was set up an hour before guests arrived.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.

When we got home after the concert, Aloma said, “It smells like a brewery in here.”  I told her
only one beer and two glasses of wine were spilled.

I’m already looking forward to the beautiful Christmas music and entertaining my cousins and
friends next year.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

State Fair 2018

I love going to the North Carolina State Fair, and last week was the fifth time I’ve attended since we moved to Cary.  The Fair is only about a 20-minute drive, parking is free and the Fair itself is free for seniors.

I go alone so I can walk around where I want to, buy coffee and sit watching people.  As I’ve done in the past, I visited the animal and vegetable buildings, watching the judging of cows/steers, pigs and goats.  Big crowds were watching the contests reminding me of a sporting event, people cheering on their favorites.  I forget how big cows are until I’m up close to one.  The biggest crowd was watching the judging of pigs running around without collars with pre-teenagers directing the pigs with a stick.  

The vegetable section had beautiful displays.  I liked the largest squash/melon--1,500 pounds.

Of course, the main attraction at the Fair seems to be the food.  Everyone was eating something coated with sugar or BBQ sauce.

After a couple of hours of watching people, I stopped on the way out and bought a cup of ice cream churned by a smoking and sputtering John Deere engine.  I slowly ate my ice cream while watching an all women country (or bluegrass) band.  They were great.

There was a negative to my Fair trip.  My parking spot was a long way from the Fair entrance.  I walked in but decided to take a bus back to the parking area.  I asked if the bus went back to the free parking lot.  I was assured it did.  No one told me there was another free parking area.  I got on the bus and 45 minutes later I got off where I started.

No problem.  I started walking.  Got to the parking lot and couldn’t find my car.  This had not happened since a football game in Florida in the 1960s.  I walked and walked, up and down the rows.  A black couple was concerned for me and spent 20 minutes driving around and pointing out red Corollas.  None of them were mine.  I finally found my car and drove home without a problem.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s fair.  I will definitely pay attention to where I park.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Hurricane Michael

When we evacuated North Myrtle Beach, we had two days to prepare for the impact of Hurricane Florence on our home in Cary.  We collected all items from the yard including potted plants, yard art, and garden lights, and secured them in the garage.  Likewise, everything came off of our patio except our grill and heavy chairs which we tied down.  We were ready for Hurricane Florence.

While we did get eight inches of rain that did no damage, the maximum wind gust couldn't have been more than 30 mph.  Not much at all.

Forecasts were clear that Hurricane Michael would continue through the Carolinas and pass right through the Triangle.  We were not too worried.  After all, North Carolina is a long way from the Gulf Coast and the hurricane shouldn’t have much energy left by the time it hit our area.  I didn’t bother to remove stuff from the yard or patio.

But Michael was still a tropical storm when it passed over us on Thursday evening.  We got our tarp, sat in chairs on the patio sheltered by the wind and rain and toasted each other with a drink.  Rain had started earlier in the day, but then the wind came, strongest since we moved to Cary 4 ½ years ago, gusts reaching at least 50 mph.  A few things were blown around our yard and patio but we didn’t have any serious damage.  And we stayed in our little nook on the patio until it had blown over.

There were major power outages in the area and roads flooded.  Trees came down and limbs covered some roads.  We ended up with 3 ½ inches of rain.  But we had power and no rain damage.

We woke the day after Hurricane Michael to a bright, clear morning with temperatures in the 50’s.  What a change!

After Hurricane Florence, we hosted a hurricane party.  We plan to host another party next week--this one to celebrate the beginning of fall weather.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

North Myrtle Beach - Part II

Three weeks ago, our planned week stay in North Myrtle Beach was cut short by a forced evacuation because of Hurricane Florence.  I was surprised when I called and asked for the four nights we missed because of the evacuation to be rescheduled.  We were booked for October 1 to 5.

We were surprised at the lack of hurricane damage that we saw as we took I-40 into Wilmington and then Hwy 17 to North Myrtle.  A few trees and limbs were down, but we didn’t see damaged buildings or flooded fields.  Roadside signs seemed to be in good condition.  We did notice a low area on I-40 where it looked like it had been underwater for days.  Lots of dead turtles in the road, too.

Our Wyndham resort in North Myrtle sustained no damage.  The tide did not override the dunes and flood the pool or first floor of the resort.  On the way home on Friday, we did see rivers still in flood stage covering large areas of low land, including a golf course.

We had seen satellite photos of rivers in North Carolina discharging black sediment into the ocean.  Winds at North Myrtle were from the North and that black water was obvious as the waves broke over the beach.  I was told the bacteria count was high and swimming was not advised.  Maybe I’m getting better judgment as I age because I stayed out of the ocean.  The wind shifted to the south on our last day, and the ocean cleared up and looked beautiful.

We sat and watched the ocean and crowds on the beach for hours from our ocean front condo.  Part II of our vacation was very healing.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Not A Good Week

Last Thursday, I came into the house from the garage and heard Aloma calling me.  From
the sound of her voice, I could tell that something was wrong. I hurried to the sound and
looked in the bathroom.   Aloma had fallen and was wedged between the toilet and wall, stuck
so tight that she couldn’t move her arms, legs or body.  I knew that I couldn’t get her up
and immediately called 911. Within a few minutes, two EMTs showed up and were able to move
her.  They checked her out and discovered an irregular heartbeat and transported her
to the hospital.

After her stress calmed down, her heartbeat returned to normal and tests that night and the
next morning, including a stress test, showed that her heart was perfectly normal.  She was
released from the hospital. What a scare for me--and for her!!

The very next Monday, I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy, early in the morning after a
miserable night.  During the endoscopy, I inhaled fluids from my stomach causing increasing
discomfort. By noon, I was rasping and by 2:00 it was so bad that I couldn’t talk and had
chills,my temperature spiking.  Aloma took me to emergency where I was diagnosed with
pneumonia, put on antibiotics and told that I would be in the hospital for at least two nights.

I responded so well to the antibiotics that I was released the next day.  After two days at
home and many pills, I am feeling much better, although I realize it will be some time
before I’m completely over it.

We’re still planning on celebrating Jennifer and Ben’s (our grandson) birthdays and then
leave for the beach on Monday to complete our vacation that was interrupted by the forced
evacuation caused by Hurricane Florence.

Aloma and I don’t need any more weeks like this one.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

House Sitting

Jennifer’s husband, Peter, was asked to travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina to collaborate with their scientists on corn diseases.  Jennifer was able to get away from her job and met him after his work for sightseeing in Argentina.  She asked us to house sit and watch the boys for ten days.  We were delighted and readily agreed.

We planned ahead and had meal options for every night.  We watered our plants and packed like we were going on a vacation, even though we were only driving 20 miles.  Before I took Jennifer to the airport, we went over ground rules for the boys--mainly not going out during school days.

Ben is almost 18 years old and Jack is 15.  Our main job was to feed them and to know where they were at all times.  Ben drives, so we didn’t even have to provide taxi service.  It all sounded so simple and more like a vacation than a job.  We knew they ate a lot, but we didn’t realize they ate all the time.

So for ten days we cooked, shopped, washed clothes, kept track of where they were and cleaned the house.

The boys were terrific.  They were polite, helpful and appreciative that we were there.  We always had dinner together, and Aloma and I have rarely laughed as much as when they told stories about school, teachers and soccer teammates.  After dinner the boys would go to their rooms and study until 11:00 p.m. with occasional breaks to raid the refrigerator.  It was a special time.

I picked Jennifer and Peter up at the airport on Labor Day.  We visited with them for awhile and then went home--and slept all afternoon.  We didn’t realize how tired we were.

We hope we get more opportunities to house sit and be with the boys.  They are special.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Evacuation

We loved our vacation in the mountains, spending a week in Cashiers, North Carolina in July.  Our vacation was both restful and healing.  Weeks after we returned, we started thinking about our upcoming beach vacation.  We had scheduled a Wyndham Resorts oceanfront unit in North Myrtle Beach for September 8 to 15.  When we scheduled the vacation, we knew it was hurricane season, but what are the odds of a hurricane hitting that location on that week?  Low, we thought!

A couple of weeks before our vacation, a tropical storm developed off of Africa, then developed into a hurricane and then dropped back to a tropical storm.  I told Aloma not to worry about it.  “It will curve out to sea without touching the United States.”  She reminded me that my degree in meteorology had not yet arrived in the mail.

Our Wyndham unit turned out to be nice, small but with a full kitchen, washer and dryer and two televisions.  The main attraction was that it had a deck overlooking the ocean and the beach, eight stories high.  The view was outstanding and we spend hours watching the ocean, the people on the beach and the sky.  Meanwhile, Florence kept coming.

We arrived on a Saturday and on Sunday we enjoyed the sun and pool and I went for a swim in the ocean.  My last two attempts, last year and the year before, at swimming in the ocean were disasters.  I kept getting knocked down in shallow water after my swim and couldn’t get up.  One time I called to two burly men who lifted me up to a standing position, and the second time I managed to get up myself after a lengthy struggle.  On Sunday, the beach sand was hard-packed and, in spite of large waves to play in, the surf near the beach was gentle.  Not a problem.  I swam again on Monday.  No problem.

We knew now that Florence was barreling right toward us.  We got the word that North Myrtle was under a State of Emergency, and we had to evacuate our unit by noon on Tuesday.  We decided to leave early on Tuesday, were on the road by 6:30 a.m. and used the GPS in the car to get us home.  The GPS routed us on back roads and we never touched I-95 or I-40.  Never once were we held up by traffic.

Now we’re home and have removed things from the yard and porch that might blow around.  We’re just waiting to see what Florence has in store for us.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Soccer 2018

Since two of our children were in middle school, we have enjoyed watching soccer.  
We followed Rob and Mary as they played travel soccer and then high school soccer.  
We loved watching them, often watching two or three games a week. We realize
some of those years were just the best.

Now we have two grandsons playing varsity soccer for Raleigh Charter High School,
both start and both are playing very well.  Ben is a defensive midfielder and Jack is usually in scoring position, scoring half of Raleigh Charter’s goals after three games.  Ben,
captain of the team, distributes the ball, and we love it when he passes to Jack racing toward the goal.

On Sunday morning Jack and I got up at 5:30 a.m., leaving Jennifer’s house
(we’re house sitting) at 6:00 to travel to Wilson, North Carolina for a club soccer
game.  I tried to complain to Aloma that this trip was a hardship, but she saw through me.
I loved traveling to the game and watching Jack play. And I loved taking him to a
Cracker Barrel for breakfast after the game.

Aloma and I feel fortunate that we have the opportunity to watch soccer again, this time
with our grandsons.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Recovery Update

After my accident in January, I slowly recovered during the months of March and April.  Then I got cocky, walked too far, did too much in the gym and started golf (par 3 course) too soon.  Major setback. 

When we went to the mountains in mid-July, I was a mess.  My shoulders hurt, my left elbow would go into spasm and my right bicep was extremely painful, even when I lifted something as small as a can of soup.  I was discouraged.

Then I got to thinking.  Were my difficulties the result of the accident or were they normal for a person 80 years old?  How was I to know?  This is the first time I’ve been 80.

On the drive to Cashiers, North Carolina, I had to grab my shirt with my right hand, as if that arm were in a sling, to avoid excruciating pain.  When we got to our condo, getting up and down from the chairs and sofas was almost impossible.  I didn’t want to be there.  Then two things happened.

When I was unloading the cooler from the car, I felt something that felt like a tear in my bicep.  I thought I was a goner, but the next day I was better.  My bicep didn’t hurt much at all.  Then I started antibiotics for an intestinal infection, probably caused by my three-week stay in the hospital and rehab in January.  Within two to three days, I started feeling better overall.  When we returned from the mountains, I was a new person.

Now, I’m playing golf again and scoring as well as last year (still on a par 3 course); I’m walking 1 ½ miles three times a week and working out in the gym, although I’m being cautious with upper-body exercises.  I have energy again and am getting projects done around the house.  I haven't started working on my book, but I’m doing some planning.

If this is what it’s like to be 80 years, I’m in.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Golf

I played golf three times in the 30 years we lived in Rochester, NY, but that changed
when we moved to North Carolina.  Two other men and I started playing soon after we
arrived in Mooresville. Over the next couple of years, the group grew to 10 golfers.  
We played nine holes, twice a week. When we moved to Cary, I missed the golf group
more that boating and swimming in Lake Norman.

Our new community in Cary, did not have a golf course but had a golf group of over 50 men
playing 18 holes twice a week on different public courses. I immediately
joined them and played at least once a week. I even played in all of their tournaments.
But, I didn’t really enjoy it.  The guys were too serious, didn’t joke around like the
Mooresville group, and I didn’t play up to my expectations. I didn’t play with them the
second year and dropped my membership with the golf group last year.

I continued playing golf, but with my neighbors, ages 85 and 86.  We occasionally
played 18 holes but usually played nine holes on a par-3 course.  We weren’t that good,
but it didn’t matter. We were out and playing golf. I enjoyed golf last year almost
as much as when I played at Lake Norman.

After my accident in January, I couldn’t swing a club when we returned in March.  
In late April, I went to the par-3 course with my neighbors and just brought a putter.
 I was thrilled to be on the course. By June, I brought a putter and a wedge to chip
from off of the greens.  Finally in July, I took some full swings from the tees, first
playing seven holes and then finally 9 holes.

Then things fell apart.  Last week, I took a soft practice swing on the first hole
and my left elbow went out.  I couldn’t even complete a backswing. I rode along
with my neighbors and putted when we reached the greens.  After three holes I
tried swinging again, but the pain was worse.

I’m discouraged but will take a few weeks off and try again.  I’ve played 16 holes of
golf this year. That is not enough.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Bunny Wars

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about all of the birds and animals in our backyard and how pleased we are to see them.  I wrote that we sprayed to keep the deer and rabbits away.  The spray has worked for the deer, so far, and we had some success with the rabbits until little ones came along.

Two weeks ago, a small rabbit, without fear, showed up and started eating our plants, starting with the flowers and then the leaves.  A couple of Aloma’s prized perennials were stripped bare.  We would go out to the flowers and yell at the rabbit and wave our hands; he just watched us and kept eating.

I decided to take action.  I bought a slingshot on Amazon to shoot ice from our ice machine at the rabbit.  Ice didn’t work.  It hit the edge of the slingshot and shattered.  So I tried cherry pits.  I could shoot them but the rabbit wouldn’t pay any attention, even if the cherry pit landed a few inches away.

One morning, I was on the computer and felt like I was being watched.  Our bunny was on the sidewalk of our neighbor’s house looking straight into my window.  Every few minutes he would run around in circles and then return to watch me.

Finally, bunny number one was growing, thanks to the excellent salad bar in our backyard.  He was becoming wary of my slingshot and would keep away when one of us was outside.

Bunny number two now appears.  She’s much smaller than my hand and is totally without fear.  We can walk right up to her; she’ll look up and keep on eating.  She ignores the slingshot and even comes on the patio to watch us.  Last night, she crept under our grill cover and would peak out and then pull back under.  Shoot me if I say she was playing peek-a-boo.

The slingshot is now history.  I shot within a few inches of her; she looked up, and instead of running away, she ran over to where I was standing and looked up at me as if saying, “Steve, something scared me.  Please help me.”

Okay, now I’m on her side.  We have bonded.  I’ll buy netting for Aloma’s flowers to try and save them.  If bunny number two wants more food, I’ll go out and buy a head of lettuce or plant more flowers. 

If she wants to come inside, it’s okay.  But I’m not going to play peek-a-boo.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Women's Softball

A couple of weeks ago, I watched on television the finals of the women’s college softball championship.  After watching teams play in the regionals, I was pleased to see Florida State win the national championship.

Why the interest in women’s softball?  My daughter, Mary, played three years in high school and I watched her play every game I could get to.  During the first game I watched during her sophomore year, she played third base and went back for a foul ball, dogging spectators, and made an over the shoulder catch.  The next batter hit a slow roller to third.  She charged it and threw a strike to first base beating the runner by a stride.  I knew immediately she was a better third baseman than I ever was.

My experience playing third base was with the Babe Ruth League in Ocala (ages 13 to 15, I believe).  I made the all star team and we won the Florida State Championship before a defeat at the regionals in Tennessee.  I was okay at third base and had a batting average over 400, but the regionals in Tennessee were my last baseball games.  I never played again.

I remember one of Mary’s close games when, with the bases loaded, she hit a line drive so hard to center field that it was still rising when it passed the center fielder.  She just looked at it, then turned and jogged to retrieve it.  Mary was rounding third before the center fielder even touched the ball.

Mary went on to gain all-county honors and her team played in postseason tournaments.  It was a fun time for me.

I also love to watch women’s soccer on TV.  I’ll try to remember to write a blog about Mary’s and our son’s best sport.

Seasoned Man

Fauna

When we lived on Lake Norman, we enjoyed the numerous and varied wildlife.  We had feeders for the birds, enjoyed the antics of the chipmunks and battled the woodchucks and squirrels.  The week after we left, a bear surprised the new owner by exploring his garbage can in the garage.

When we moved to Carolina Preserve, we didn’t expect much wildlife.  After all, the houses are ten-feet apart, and we have about 15-feet of lawn behind our home that ends at a slope rising about 30 feet, filled with love grass.  We got permission (for us and three neighbors) to plow the love grass under for about 15-feet up the slope and mulch and plant flowers and shrubs.  We love the plants and spend hours on our deck watching them grow.

And the birds and animals now love our backyard.  Mockingbirds, bluebirds, cardinals, an occasional goldfinch, robins and a brown thrush come to eat suet that we have put out for them.  These birds then drink and bath in water that Aloma changes daily.  We also have house wrens, hummingbirds, doves and a pair of mallards that have taken up next door and grace us with their presence every day.  The only birds we don’t like are the starlings.  They come in flocks and empty our suet feeder in minutes, if we let them.  All of our birds bring their babies by after they have fledged.  We love the silly kids.

Not to be outdone by the birds, animals have come to see us, too; they include a few squirrels, rabbits, deer, and a fox.  We spray stinky stuff on our plants to keep the deer from eating them and have rabbit spray that sometimes works.  A feral cat had kittens under one of our shrubs but moved them after I started checking on them every day.

Butterflies and bees enjoy our pollinator garden.  Chameleons race along our deck and then stop and blow out a pink thing under their neck.

To our surprise, we have more wildlife here than we had at the lake.  As we watch our plants grow, we enjoy the abundant wildlife.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Master Plumber

I noticed the toilet in the guest bathroom was leaking.  I took the top off and after the tank filled, water was still running.  I cleaned the flapper, which had no effect.  So, off to Lowe’s to buy a new flapper.  It went on easily, but the water was still running.  The water level was above the drain pipe.  It was the toilet tank valve that wouldn’t shut off.

During my younger days as a homeowner, I didn’t think twice about fixing a leaking toilet.  Thirty minutes to the hardware store and another thirty minutes for the repair - job done.  It didn’t work that way for me this time.  Thirty minutes to the hardware store to buy a new valve - and then the fun began.

I used a sponge to dry out the toilet tank and then disconnected the supply line.  No problem except there was no room to get to it so I had to lean over and use a mirror to see where I could use a wrench.  An hour later I was ready to remove the old valve.  Even with a mirror, I couldn’t get a wrench on it, so I used adjustable pliers and move it about ⅛ inch at a time.  My thighs were screaming at me as I leaned over for three hours getting that blasted connection loose.

The new valve went right in place; I secured the plastic connector that the instructions said to only hand tighten.  I decided to buy a new supply hose as the old one was probably ten years old.  After my third trip to Lowe’s, I installed it and hooked it up to the valve.  I was getting pretty good at using a mirror.

I turned the water on and had a minor flood.  Evidently, when the instructions said to hand tighten, they were not referring to an 80-year old man with arthritic hands.  I used my adjustable pliers and the leak stopped.  Victory!

No, not a victory.  The new valve wouldn’t shut off, so water went into the overflow pipe and the toilet still leaked.

On day three, I sponged out the tank again, brought Aloma’s mirror back and removed the valve.  When I took it apart, I found a big piece of debris that prevented the valve from closing.  I removed it, put everything back together.  My thighs and knees were killing me.

I turned the water on and the water level was perfect and there were no leaks.  After three trips to Lowe’s and three days of work, I got the job done.

What I would do differently if our other toilet develops a leak?  I now have the name of a good plumber.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Track Meet

The North Carolina State Track Meet finals were held in Greensboro last Sunday morning, after being postponed because of thunderstorms on Friday.  Our friends, Bill and Pam, had three granddaughters running.  I just had to be there to watch and support them.

Madie and Megan were both running in the 4 by 800 relay.  Each girl had to run 800 meters, twice around the track, and hand the baton to the next runner.  The race started poorly for Chapel Hill.  Our first runner was at least 75 yards behind.  Madie ran the second leg and closed the gap, but it was still considerable.  I didn’t think we had much chance of winning.  Our runner for the third leg blistered the track, catching up with the lead runner.  Megan took over and lengthen our lead and easily won.  The announcer yelled, “It’s a new state meet record.”  Wow.

When I was a freshman in high school, I qualified for the State Track Meet in Florida as a high jumper.  I was talking to Brad, Bill and Pam’s son, and remembered he also was a high jumper.  Bill asked me how high I jumped and I told him 6’ 2”.  I then asked Brad how high he jumped.  His answer put me in my place - 6’10”.  But did he do it during his freshman year in high school?

I felt overheated in the sunshine and decided to return home, rather than stay for the afternoon events.  Later that afternoon, Bill called to tell me Megan had won the individual 800-meter race and set a new state meet record.  Another granddaughter, Janey, Brad and Marcie’s daughter, came in third in the 300-meter hurdles.

What an amazing day for Bill and Pam and their family!  And I got to be part of it and saw my first track meet since high school. 

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Tarzan

When I was six or seven years old, my parents took my brother (five years older than me) to Ocala to see a Tarzan movie.  But I never made it.  My mother took me to our grandparents because she thought a Tarzan movie was too violent for me.  I pitched a fit, but it didn’t work.  Returning to Citra later in the day, my brother described the movie and told me parts of it were filmed in Silver Springs, right outside Ocala.

A couple of years later, I did see a Tarzan movie and was thrilled, especially as Tarzan raced through the treetops using vines to move from tree to tree.  Of course, I tried to mimic Tarzan using thick grapevines hanging from trees in the woods near our home.  Fortunately, I learned, with just bruises, not broken bones, that the vines didn’t work for me.

When I was a teenager, I read all the Tarzan books.  The first one was the best, “Tarzan, The Ape Man” that told the story of Tarzan’s parents and how the ape took his mother’s place after she died.  I especially liked it when he returned to the cabin of his parents, found books and taught himself to read.

Last week, the Turner Movie Classics channel had Tarzan movies on non-stop for two days.  I recorded them all and began to watch at least two of them every night.  The first couple of movies were great, but then I became tired of them.  Many of the animal scenes were repeated in several movies, and not as good as the Discovery Channel.  The stories were predictable.  But Cheetah was the star in every movie.

I guess I can’t recapture the thrill of my childhood obsession with Tarzan.  Fortunately at the age of 80, I have no desire to swing through the tops of trees.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Corolla - Twenty-five Years

Twenty-five years ago, a group of friends at St.Therese Catholic Church in Mooresville, North Carolina decided to go to Corolla on the Outer Banks of North Carolina for a vacation.  Last week, 26 friends, most from the original group plus a few who joined later, enjoyed perfect weather to celebrate their twenty-fifth year of friendship, love and laughter.

Aloma and I joined the group a couple of years after the first vacation and have enjoyed the group without missing a single year.  This year, two large oceanfront houses were filled to the brim.  We had a celebration luncheon and gave thanks each night in our prayers for our friends and our special vacation in Corolla.

There are some differences between now and 25 years ago.  We were in our 40’s and 50’s back then.  We played tennis daily from early morning to mid-afternoon.  We took long bike rides and walked for miles on the beach and even had a golf tournament.  Card games lasted until late at night. Now we are in our 60’s and 70’s and three of us are in our 80’s.  While there were a few tennis matches, walks on the beach, short bike rides and a miniature golf tournament, most of us sat and talked with each other, enjoyed the view of the ocean and read books.  Even without the activities, the week at Corolla gets better every year.

Every day, I spent some time in an alcove where I could read, relax and use my laptop.  When the women would work on a meal, I noticed the laughter and talk; the sound was the same as 25 years ago - definitely as loud.

So, what’s in our future?  We’ve already lost two husbands who have passed on.  How many more years will we be able to make the car trip from Mooresville, the Raleigh area, Georgia and Kentucky to the Outer Banks?  Aloma and I plan to be at Corolla every year that we’re able.  Others said the same.  Special thanks to Pam and Bill for organizing the trips over the years.

When I was in the hospital recovering from my accident, I looked ahead for a reason to heal.  Looking forward to Corolla was one of them - and this year more than met my expectations.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Old-Old

Last Thursday was my birthday - one that I’ve actually been looking forward to because I turned 80 years old.  Most birthdays are just another day for me.  They don’t mean much.  But this one was different.  I had been looking forward to it all year and when Aloma asked if I wanted a small party, I actually considered it.  After the accident, a party was the last thing on my mind.

The definition of old used to be 65.  That seems to be increasing as people are living longer and are healthier.  And there is a new definition of old age that I hear often - old-old. And guess when it starts.  Eighty years old.

I’m proud to be 80 and to be old-old.  I consider 80 a milestone.

Before the accident, except for not being able to get out of a chair easily because my knees don’t bend as they should, I was in pretty good shape, walking a couple of miles two to three times a week and hitting the gym at least twice a week.  I didn’t feel old-old.  Now I do.

While I’m recovering nicely, I still feel beat up and stiff.  I’m determined to get back in the shape I was a few month ago.

I’ll still be old-old, but I won’t feel like it.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Bald Eagles

Two bald eagles hatched on December 26 and 27, 2017 in a huge nest near Fort Myers, Florida.  Several high-definition cameras streamed a live feed over the website:  dickpritchettrealestate.com/eagle-feed.html.  I started watching them the first week of January and would check in with them several times a day.  I totally fell in love with the baby eagles.  In January, they could barely sit up for Mom to feed them.  They had to use their wings to crawl a few feet to be fed.  They were so cute.

Mom was over 30 years old (eagles don’t live much beyond that in the wild) and Dad was much younger.  Mom was experienced and a great mother; Dad was a great hunter and brought to the nest fish, squirrels and egrets.  Mom would open up the prey and tear off pieces to feed the babies.

After the accident, I was in excruciating pain or knocked out by pain medicine.  While Aloma had brought my laptop to the hospital, I didn’t open it for about 10 days.  When I did, the first thing I did was go to the eagle site.

I watched them daily and was worried that one wasn’t getting enough food.  I was a wreck when they started getting out of the nest and hopping up on nearby limbs.  I wasn’t ready for them to fledge for the first time.  Now they are accomplished flyers and come back to the nest only when food is delivered.  They are within days of leaving the area and not returning.

Well done Mom and your young husband.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

March Madness

Every year I enjoy the NCAA basketball tournament, as 64 plus teams compete for the national championship.  This year I enjoyed it more than ever.  Thursday through Sunday, the first week of the tournament, games are on TV from noon to almost midnight.  I always watch as many games as l can but, feel guilty spending so much time in front of the TV.

No guilt this year.  Because of my accident I was home, couldn’t drive a car and didn’t have much to do except read, exercise and read books - and watch TV.  I record programs so I can fast forward through the commercials.  I always had two games being recorded so when I would catch up with one, I would switch to the other.  I really watched a lot of games - with no guilt.

Having nine ACC teams in the tournament made it exciting.  When I filled out a bracket, I chose ACC teams to win.  I even had Duke and North Carolina in the finals.  As many of you know, most ACC teams were wiped out during the early rounds and my bracket was busted.  Only Duke made it to the final sixteen and then they lost.  That took some of the excitement away for me.

You would think the NCAA tournament would be enough.  I also watched many of the NIT tournament games and even watched some of the women in their NCAA tournament games.  By the time Villanova won the final game and was crowned champion, I had finally had enough.  I don’t need to see another basketball game for long time.

Seasoned Man

Stevelem117@gmail.com

Recovery

Nine weeks have passed since I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was run over by a car.  It has been wonderful being back home but my recovery has been slow.  I still use a cane outside of the house but have given it up inside.  My primary care doctor said I shouldn’t drive a car for another four weeks, but I do drive one block to work out.  I work out using a fraction of the weights I used before the accident and it’s still difficult.  But I feel great that I’m doing it.  My orthopedic surgeon compared new x-rays with older ones and said that my knee replacements are not damaged and are still secure.  That’s great news.

Writing has been difficult.  The one blog I did publish didn't sound too good when I read it later.  Typing has been an issue.  My fingers don’t do what my brain wants them to do.  My concussion was worse than I thought, but I’m getting better every day. 

Sometimes, I still don’t believe the accident actually happened.  But then I remember the procedures and pain in the hospital.  Fortunately, memories of the pain are fading.

My job now is to push physical therapy and visualize a complete recovery.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmailcom

What Hit Me

We’ve talked about an extended winter vacation in Florida for years.  Not that winters in Cary, North Carolina are that bad, but we wanted a change this year.  Since our daughter, Jennifer, and family were spending Christmas in Europe, we decided to start our vacation early - we were in Naples, Florida for Christmas and rented a beautiful condo for January.

The vacation was going great until I decided to take a late afternoon walk to a marina  about a mile away.  As I was returning - on the sidewalk - I looked up.  I was on the ground and a crowd of people were staring at me.  A car was on top of me and paramedics were shouting instructions while getting the car off of me.  I was helicoptered to a hospital in Fort Myers I later learned was the number one trauma hospital in the area.

I had 8-10 broken ribs, a knee the size, not of a basketball, but of a volleyball, and and internal bleeding, made worse because I take Coumadin.  Later I learned I also had a concussion still causing confusion six weeks later.

The first week was in ICU.  I was drugged part of the time but still  awake enough to be miserable.

Seventeen days later, i was released to a rehab facility that had its own form of torture - 3 hours or physical therapy a day.

I did learn a  couple of things.  I can endure pain.  I have many friends who are concerned about me.  And my wife - she is a champion.  She located another condo, moved us into it, while visiting me every day in the hospital.  Thank you , Aloma.  You are the best.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com