What It's Like To Be 84 Years Old

 I’ve had three months of experience at being 84 years old.  Since the purpose of my blog is to relate what it’s like for a man to live through his 70s and 80s--here goes.

First of all, I’m happy.  I have a wife that I love and enjoy every minute I have with her.  We live in a nice home that is small, comfortable, and safe.  We have a daughter who lives nearby and three daughters far away that I keep up with but rarely see.  We have seven grandchildren that we think of as special.

At any age, health is important but in the 80s, it’s critical.  I’m lucky that I don’t have anything major wrong with me, but I have more aches and pains than I can list here.  My hands are a mess--one knuckle surgically frozen, two trigger fingers that require steroid shots, and thumbs that hurt.  I need both hands to pick up a glass of water.  Both shoulders hurt at times as does one elbow.  My feet are uncomfortable unless I’m wearing sneakers.  I get tired much more quickly.  I used to love the hot, mid-summer days, but now I wilt pretty quickly.  I haven’t played golf, which I love, in two years.  After a two-year break because of COVID, I’m back working out in the gym and am doing pretty well.

My main health issue is my hearing.  Even with good hearing aids, my hearing is worst than all my friends.

Words escape me at times although I usually remember them later.  I still do projects around the house, but slower, and sometimes with mistakes.  I’m finishing writing the last book of a trilogy and it’s slow going.  A friend taught me to play Wordle and I play every day, and while I’m usually successful, I’m very slow.  I read about one novel a week.

So that’s my story.  I’m going to take a nap now so that I won’t sleep well tonight.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com

Nubin

 When we sit on our patio, we usually see one or more chameleons running across the deck or just sitting watching us.  They are lizards and turn green on green leaves and brown when they are on a tree trunk.  Sometimes, we see them catch a bug, but mostly they are running around or sleeping.

We noticed one last week with most of his tail gone.  We guessed a bird or animal attacked him, and he got away but without most of his tail.  Over the next few days, he seemed to spend more time on the deck than the other chameleons.  And even without a tail, he still had an attitude.  He would blow out his dewlap (orange thing under his neck) that I interpret to show his toughness.

I told Aloma that I had read chameleons can regrow a tail.  We watched him daily, and sure enough, a brown or dark area on the end of his tail appeared after a week.  Each day, it got bigger.  He was definitely growing a new tail.  And he seemed proud of his growing tail.  Whenever we came out, he would appear, show off his tail, and blow out his dewlap under his throat.  He obviously thinks he is hot stuff.

Seasoned Man

stevelem117@gmail.com