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| kitchen view of the goat farm across the creek from my camper |
Getting Old(er)
Having “reflection time” like this is very important to me, albeit a little lonely, at times. Collecting my thoughts and digesting, or processing, the events of this past year, as well as taking stock of my life is a good mental health activity. As I just turned 67, and Ray is heading even closer to 70, aging is good wake up call to making the most of life, and being grateful. As corny as all that sounds.
10,000 Steps
I am feeling good about exercising and eating reasonably healthy. I really enjoy walking and often put in 3-5 miles a day. A big part of the “10,000 steps philosophy” is documenting how far you walk each day. This can be done with an electronic watch type device (Fit Bit, etc.) or an IPhone app. There seems to be an almost “magical” allure to walk this distance daily for good health. of course, mileage varies on how long your legs are (or short in my case), as well as your stride. It seems estimates of 2,000 up to 2.500 steps equal a mile. Imagine the difference between Ray (6’6”) and me (5’)!
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| Home sweet home |
Another piece of my “introspection” is coming to terms with aging and health. I am become increasingly aware of the importance of health, as well as how fleeting it can be. Part of this is the realization that I’m well into my 60’s, and between Ray’s illness, Covid and my brother’s recent heart surgery, health is up front and personal. In my face, you might say. Another plug for continual exercise, walking, yoga, etc. Yada, yada.
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| Downtown Greenville, SC 12/20 |
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| "Seestahs" NC 12/20 |
Can you Hear Me Now?
Hearing is another important part of “health.” Unfortunately, my Dad, Ron, has become pretty deaf in recent years. It seems cruel that the latest technology offers tiny hearing aids, with even tinier batteries that challenge even younger, more coordinated fingers. Poor Dad, he patiently replaced these pesky batteries (which only last a few hours) for years, and tried troubleshooting the defects on the devices (which frequently broke), as well as remembering not to throw them away by accident because they’re so small they’re almost invisible. The better ones, at $5-6K, are not covered by medical insurance, so it’s an out of pocket expense. Communication by phone, even with FaceTime, can be quite frustrating for all involved. Couple that with being socially isolated because of Covid restrictions, this past nine months have been really tough. PS He got his first vaccine shot this past week. So maybe there’s hope of communal dinners and social opportunities sometime in the not too far, future.
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| Morning sunlight filters through the live oaks |
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| Kite surfing near Skyway Bridge |
The Importance of Writing….Documenting My Life
And….as crazy as it sounds, I like to record events of my life with words and photos for times not only to share with myself, but with friends and family. It is a good way to stay in touch. Who knows? When I’m in the nursing home reflecting back on my life, maybe I can reread this stuff and feel a little more fulfilled. Or when dementia hits I can ask myself, “Who the hell is that woman?” Or something!
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| Frog Creek Reflections |
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