Challenging The Eighties

I am pleased that I have lived long enough to celebrate my 81st birthday.  However, when in my seventies, I had a vision that my eighties would be similar to my seventies.  After all, I’ve worked out regularly my whole life, my medical chemistries are good, and I’ve been fairly active mentally.

So far, life is not working out exactly like I envisioned.  My stamina is not what it was two years ago; my balance has deteriorated and my naps are longer.  My muscle strength is a fraction of what it was only a few years ago.  In fact, I can’t remember where my biceps used to be.  I am very disappointed that words are becoming harder to recall.  Sometimes, I can’t remember whether or not I’ve taken my pills.

Last year when I turned 80, I blamed my condition on the accident I had in January.  Now it’s been 15 months since the accident and I can hardly blame it.

I’ve haven’t given up.  I’m walking regularly and have a plan to get my workout weights back up to pre-80s.  I’m working in Aloma’s garden again and starting home projects that were put off.  I’m flying my radio controlled airplanes regularly and am playing a par-3 golf course.  My goal is to play a regular golf course before the summer is over.  The material for my third book of the Turkey Grove series is on my desk but hasn’t been opened yet.  I will start writing again.

I’m determined to make my 80s just another decade.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Racing Spring

When we arrived in Naples, Florida in December, winter flowers were in full bloom and were beautiful.  In January, we noticed that bushes along the roads were turning green and oak trees were losing their old leaves and putting out new green leaves.  As we were leaving Naples at the end of February, we talked about leaving Spring behind.

But Spring was still with us for the first week in March in Orlando and stayed with us as we drove north to Savannah.  In previous years we measured Spring on our drive north by blooming Yellow Jasmine.  As we were going through North Florida, Aloma mentioned that she didn’t see any Yellow Jasmine.  I suggested they might have already bloomed.  We might see them north of Savannah.  And we did.

As we passed South of the Border and entered North Carolina, bushes and trees along I-95 were turning green and some trees (wild cherry, we think) were blooming.  I told Aloma, “I think Spring has beaten us to our home in Cary.”

As it turned out, we could have walked the rest of the way to our home and still have beaten Spring to Cary.

When we arrived home, wild cherries were blooming and a few bushes were showing new green leaves, but most bushes and trees didn’t show signs of Spring.  I thought, “Give it a couple more days and Spring would be bursting out all over.  Not!!

Unusually cold weather kept Spring contained.  We did have beautiful daffodils and blooms on our Quince shrub, but we still waited.  Finally last week our neighbor’s Cherry tree bloomed as did Redbud trees in the neighborhood.  And I saw my first Yellow Jasmine.  Spring had finally arrived at our home.

Seasoned Man           

stevelem17@gmail.com