Monday, August 19, 2013

THINKING ABOUT THIS AGING THING AGAIN TODAY

DSC_8110

SO WHAD’YA LOOKIN AT MISTER, NEVER SEEN A BUNCH OF GIRLS SKINNY DIPPING BEFORE!!

Outdoor projects are notorious for outgrowing themselves & so it was here this morning.  Now that some of our ferns have been re-located it was decided to take down a poplar tree & of course that led to……….well, you know what I mean.  Monday’s gardening was mainly a repeat of Sunday so I won’t try to stretch it into something remotely interesting.  I think it was around a year ago this time I tackled a major backyard renovation as well.  That is what set off my original hip problem which is still with me a year later.  Today as well as Sunday I had to come in about noon to give my legs a rest.  Not too sure I will ever be able to return to that state most of us folks reached at one point or another in our adventuress lives where we thought we could run faster than a speeding bullet or leap tall buildings in a single bound but who knows, it’s a crazy world out there.  

DSC_0008

SOME MAY NOTICE MY HAIR IS SHORTER TODAY…RAN INTO A HAIRCUT ON OUR BACK PORCH SUNDAY AFTERNOON

DSC_0002 DSC_0005

HAD ENOUGH BRANCHES & TWIGS FOR 2 UTILITY TRAILER LOADS TODAY…AND YES, I USED PICASA TO PATCH UP THE HOLE IN MY HAIR AGAIN

It may have started with my kidney stone problem a couple years ago but it was sometime around then I gradually became seriously aware of my ongoing age, maybe for the first time.  Up till then I hadn’t put a whole lot of thought into aging.  No reason too, I was healthy & rarely sick.  Never seemed to get a cold anymore & aside from one Arthritis pill a day I was pill free.  The mind seemed OK & my interest levels were up.  Still enjoyed figuring things out on the computer & was basically always up for new challenges.  I was aware that I was aware but somewhere along the line I began noticing a rather subtle change. 

DSC_0014

<<< QUEEN ANNES LACE

My short term memory loss seemed to ramp up beyond the usual forgetfulness.  It was especially noticeable right here at the computer.  Where once I loved trying to figure out this program or that download or whatever new fad was going on I was now becoming frustrated because I couldn’t get things sorted out.  By the time I would get to step 4 in an upload or download process I had already forgot steps 1, 2, & 3.  Where I once had things reasonably organized I was finding things in disarray.  Couldn’t remember how to find my photo albums, new email programs were frustrating, couldn’t even get to first base in figuring out that Google+ stuff & yet at one time I would have been on there like a Mad Hatter in no time flat.  Same thing with my Smug Mug photo account.  Fell behind because I couldn’t seem to get my albums organized over the past couple years.  Now they have rolled out a new site which I tried to figure out but…………… Same thing with my Picasa photo albums.  Once Google took over everything I quickly fell behind.  I like change but when it comes to computer stuff I don’t seem to handle it well anymore.   

DSC_0016-1

I’m able to keep my blog going because of repetition.  As long as I keep at it most every day I have a good chance in remembering how to use Microsoft’s Live Writer.  I have my finger’s crossed Microsoft does not pull off a radical change with Live Writer any time soon or I will be toast.  Saw a blog layout I liked last week & thought to myself, ‘I like that look’.  Three years ago I would simply have just set about to change my blog’s layout & got into Blogger’s templates & made the changes.  Easy enough & I would have enjoyed putting a new fresh looking blog site together.  And if I had messed up, no problem, just re-do it again.  I’m afraid to try that now because I know I would have a hard time remembering how to put my blog back together if I were to lose it.  No, I just don’t have the sharp short term memory recall or the patience for that kind of stuff I once did.  My impatience leads to frustration & I just turn & walk away from things.  Some of this has to do with depression of course but I am also aware there are other medical factors at play here as well.  Depression is not the only culprit.             

DSC_8029

There are people sharp as a tack at 92 & people barely hanging on to their lives at 32.  Age, genetics, circumstances, environment, living style, etc. are all factors determining one’s condition at whatever age.  Each individual has toughed out & lived there own lives in whatever way life has been dished out to them.  As I said, never thought too much about this aging process until my own body stepped up & tapped me on the end of my nose a few years ago with it’s aches & pains & daily complaints.  No, I haven’t been tapped as hard or as suddenly like many with a life threatening illness or disease but each & every one of us sooner or later reaches that point in life where the game either slowly or abruptly changes for us.  Could simply have everything to do with age or nothing whatsoever to do with age.  But somewhere in that mix the game will eventually change.  The difficult part is first being aware that is happening, then understanding it, & finally, what if anything can be done about it.  I’m past the awareness part & am currently trudging through the understanding part with an eye ahead of me to the what can be done part.  I will have more to say about this aging thing shortly.  And let’s all remember that old saying……'I complained I had no shoes until I met the man who had no feet’. 

DSC_0011-2

One thing before I forget.  Bloggers, be sure to repeatedly check your Blogger spam folder.  We unfortunately are not in the habit of doing that & this morning Kelly, while checking something found comments from folks that have never been published from as far back as June.  For whatever reason Blogger tagged them as Spam & sent them to the Spam folder.  We have had this happen before & keep forgetting to check that Spam folder.  I published all the comments & noticed legitimate comments outnumbered actual Spam about 3 to one.   And if you have copies of comments sent to Hotmail be sure to double check that too because not all comments get to Hotmail.  Stumbled upon that problem way back last winter one time.  I was always in the habit of reading comments in our Hotmail account so I don’t know how long that problem existed but no doubt we missed a lot of people’s comments up to that point.

DSC_0065

GROANER’S CORNER:((    A merchant sent an order to a distributor for a large amount of goods totalling a great deal of money.  The distributor, noting that the previous bill hadn't been paid, told the collections manager to check it. The collections manager left a voice-mail for them saying, 'We can't ship your new order until you pay for the last one.'
The next day the collections manager received a collect phone call, 'Please cancel the order. We can't wait that long.'

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

23 comments:

  1. No point cryin' over it. We're all getting older, but as one of my old school chums once said, "It's better than the alternative". He's my age (57) and has school aged kids! So I guess he must have more energy than I do, that's for sure.
    My neighbour across the way was having a time finding someone to do a landscaping clean-up at his place (wants to sell it) and asked if I wanted the job! No thanks! Not a chance!
    You're still out there pluggin' away, so that's a good sign.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The very best doctor we ever had stated it this way - it is called "The Marching On of Time".

    It is natural, it is sure to happen, we are very lucky it if does, it makes us enjoy each and everyday and it is better than the alternative - the natural aging process.

    Embrace it and tell yourself to stay fully engaged in all that life has to offer!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Whenever I get discouraged and frustrated with my inability to get something done or to remember something, I always try to keep my Aunt Happy in mind. Her 100th Birthday is this Friday and she's feeling rather depressed about it. But she still says that she is going to live life until she dies.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The thoughts you think today become your reality tomorrow or even sooner. When you focus on a subject it becomes your manifestations. Personally I am going to focus on only good feeling things.If you focus on that you are a grumpy old guy, you will be.

    Let me suggest that you go to My Facebook wall and Jeanie Esquibel Facebook wall,I think you will find some inspiration there not from us but from our post. If you are looking for more of what you call reality then you wont find it there. Reality is totally of our own past thoughts manifested.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Al, I was going to make a comment on something about getting old and forgetful...but I forgot what it was.

    Oh, now I remember...you now know you're not going to die young, at least.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Al, I am the same way you are with computer programs. The way I try to compensate for the short term memory problem is to open two windows. One with the instructions and one with the process. Seems to work so far. Just remember, our friend....age is a number....only a number!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well you certainly remember how to take great pictures!! Perhaps those who think reality only comes from our thoughts has not had any very real medical problems. Aging will come and with it aches, pains, and various other maladies. While I try to focus on the positive, all the positive thinking in the world does not take away the fact that aging is a natural process and it will happen to everyone who is lucky enough to grow old. I can be as happy as I can be and enjoy life but, dang it, my arthritis will pain me from time to time anyway...and I will sometimes feel grumpy because of it!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Al. I was reading along and read I will be toast and now I want toast. This is the way my mind is aging.

    I see that you got 1,000,000 hits twice, and I'm wondering about the difference between "page views" and "visits." Either way, a million! Cool!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great Post!

    This was confidential, but it happened 35 years ago. A young grad student was being observed while counseling a real person with a real problem at a free clinic. After hearing the persons view of their own problems in life. The student said " Life is just a shit sandwich and everyday you take another bite".

    ReplyDelete
  10. I actually enjoyed your post for it's honesty and reality. But the comments are a hoot, don't you think so?
    I wish we could all get to choose the way we age, maybe from a checklist.

    ReplyDelete

  11. Great thoughts, Al !!!!! Relavent to all, if not at this time on down the road .... Lots of dealing with the journey comes from attitude and acceptance ..... My Mother was bedridden for several years in her nineties with many health problems..... She lived each day to the fullest that, that particular day would allow ..... She would enjoy the sunset,the stars, her flower gardens of years past, on and on .... She would even attend the Packer games on a gurnee and enjoy every play .... Sharp as a tack !!!! Some people can carry an attitude and smile all the way to the end .... And some have a tough time coping with the give and take ..... Life is such a grab bag of situations just have to try to smell the roses and smile when you can along the way ......
    But for NOW, how about a great big HAPPY 100 BIRTHDAY WISH TO AUNT HAPPY !!!!!!! She is way down the road ahead of us and time to CELEBRATE !!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. My mind must be aging like Good Luck Duck. I don't eat peanut butter once ever until you mention eating peanut butter. Then I want peanut butter. My husband is addicted to the honey peanut butter which I had to buy because you talked about it. lol

    ReplyDelete
  13. You may be frustrated, but you have more ability and talent than most 20 year olds.
    I share your frustration on the decline in memory and cognitive ability, it's very frustrating. eh? I've chosen to just accept it, but if you can't then you might want to see a doctor and see if the decline is normal or you have something else going on.
    Good luck,

    ReplyDelete
  14. a bad day above ground is better than a good one under it!
    love the 'shit sandwich' comment..now that's funny!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. My short term memory has been terrible for years. but I figure every day I am upright and breathing is a good one.
    Keeping fairly active keeps you going too.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'll bet you haven't thrown dirty clothes in the toilet instead of the hamper yet...My maternal Gramma Fry had severe alzheimer's. She lived with us and didn't even know who we were. Would find her at the kitchen table with suitcase in the middle of the night...waiting for the train. So you see, we could have it worse, good friend.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Old age creeps up to all of us. We all have to deal with it and everyone has to figure out how to do that. We snowbirds are keeping young longer as we keep ourselves moving and still meeting new people along the way. The worst would be sitting in a town/city flat with nothing to do. That would just kill me off.

    ReplyDelete
  18. " I have my finger’s crossed Microsoft does not pull off a radical change with Live Writer any time soon or I will be toast."

    Sorry Al but they will change Live Writer sooner rather than later. Microsoft has all those programers on the payroll that must justify why they are being paid. If they don't make changes to programs then they are not needed. It has nothing to do with the programs needing to be changed.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Nothing wrong with you my friend. You are simply living life and a very full one at that. Whatever you are doing just keep doing it because from here things look great. Love the photos.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Depression does affect short term memory. It will return once the depression is under control. I know that from experience. Hormone changes affect short term memory also. Geesh, aging is not for cowards! lol The other day, I was telling my son all the senior discounts I can get now and I actually said, it's great being a senior. Never thought I'd say that!

    ReplyDelete
  21. AL long time since we worked at cn kitchiner glad catch up with you i retired 17 years ago living in Sarnia love your page was checking out pioneer park for mero wedding ran across this dia. is my first couson hope to see you some time keep up the good work will check it out a bit maybe put some on my facebook lol

    ReplyDelete
  22. THAT blog is from Terry Elliott al using the ednas acc.

    ReplyDelete