Sixty Three Plus One

Yesterday was my parent's sixty third anniversary. They celebrated it by going to a show and having dinner out. What a milestone. Sixty three years and they still walk holding hands. They are still best friends who can talk to each other for hours. They have been blessed with their health. They are truly as happy today as they were on their wedding day.

In Comparison

Yesterday I was at a baby shower for a good friend's daughter in law. As usual, there were party games. Sometimes there are games that ask questions about the future mom. This time they struck to trivia. There were 20 questions that were taken from the internet. We all answered each question within a few minutes. One of the grandmothers went down the list of answers so we could score our sheets. I did not do too well. I only got 9 out of 20. After the answers were given the grandma asked who got 20 right. No one. Who got 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9? I raised my hand that I got 9 right. I was the winner. I won with a score of 9 out of 20. Kind of appalling. Did I really win or was I just dumb and everyone else was dumber?

Nature At Its Best

They say that the best way to clear your head is to surround yourself with nature's beauty. Yesterday
on the spur of the moment, I went to The Planting Fields in Old Brookville. My sister and brother in law visit there once a year and asked me to join them. It is an old estate with acres of flowers and huge hot houses. Since it is February the fields were bare, but the hot houses were open. As we walked into them, the burst of warm air made us feel like it was spring. Immediately we were in a happy frame of mind. We went through the orchid rooms, the succulent rooms, and the exotic plant rooms.The flowers were stunning and some of them looked like ceramics in their perfection. There were benches placed around the room so you could just sit and daydream with your own thoughts. It was not only relaxing, it was soul cleansing.

Never Give Up

My mother is ninety two years old. To me she still seems sixty, but that cannot be since I am sixty. Over the past few years she has had increasing trouble walking. She can't wrap her head around the fact that this is happening because she is aging. Last week she went to a neurologist and had a full evaluation. He said she is a healthy woman, but she is ninety two and the way she is walking is normal for that age. He said that there is nothing that can be done but he could authorize physical therapy for her. She agreed to try it. She started going yesterday and plans on going two times a week. She said that the physical therapist was very nice and did leg exercises with her. I am not sure whether or not this will help her walking but it will help her frame of mind. As long as you have hope that you might get better, you keep trying.

Miscommunication

The other night I received a call from my front office staff. A patient and her husband had come in at the wrong time and they were blaming the staff. They were yelling at the receptionists and insulting them. The husband and wife each had an appointment at the same time, but one doctor changed the time and one did not. This is what led to the error. Mistakes happen and if the couple would have been nice I would have calmed down the situation this morning. My staff did nothing wrong. It was the doctor's error, not theirs. Since they were not nice, from now on they will not have contact with my staff. They will now only be allowed to speak to their doctors. If they call to check an appointment time, they will be told that their doctor will call them back. If they call to reschedule, they will be told that their doctor will call them back. They will see that dealing with the front office is far easier.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Sis. Another year has flown by. This one is a milestone. At sixty two, you are the youngest looking senior citizen in the crowd. You haven't aged in years. You still have your sharp sense of humor and are the one person in the world that I have the most fun with. Time has stood still when I think of you. I am still the baby and you are still my big sister, whom I look up to for good advice. You are the first phone call of the day and the first phone call for comfort. Not many people are as lucky as I am to have their sister as their best friend.

Standing Out

I like to blend in. I was never the kind of person to be showy. I like to fly under the radar. Yesterday, I brought my car into the body shop to repair the bumper that was rear ended a week ago. I was given a rental car until my car is returned to me. I was escorted to the parking lot to see the car. It was bright red. Not the maroon red that is common. The bright red that is like a fire engine. You cannot miss this car on the road. It stands out as if it has a beam shining on it. There used to be a joke that police stop red cars more than any other colors. Maybe it is because any person that willingly buys a car this color must want attention.

Here and Gone

Yesterday I sold an item on eBay. It was a small stained glass heart. It was sold to a repeat customer. It was nice to know that someone liked my work so much that they came back to purchase another item. Even though is was not sold for a lot of money, I was still happy. I made a profit. I decided to go to the craft store and find another item to create. I usually go to a nearby store but I wanted to see the inventory in a different store. I picked up my sister and began to drive. After a few minutes we heard a metal sound. We pulled into the parking lot of the craft store and examined the car. We found a nail sticking out of the rear tire. We never went into the store. We went straight to the tire store to have the tire patched. Money in, money out.

A**aholics Annonymous

The world is full of a**holes. There are so many of them that they need to start a support group. They can sit in a room and tell each other about the moronic things they do. They could start by introducing themselves. Hi, I am Mr A. I like to argue with people about nonsense. Hi, I am Mr B. I like to pretend that I am smarter than everyone, but all I have is an empty cavern in my head where my brain should be. Hi, I am Mr C. I like to spend money that I do not have buying other people's crap. Hi, I am Mr D. I do not know the difference between right and wrong, so do not ask me for my input on anything. I could go on and on. If I really think about it, there needs to be a small room for the non-a**hole people. All we would need is about five chairs.

A Good Laugh

Nothing feels better than a good laugh. The kind that you bend over and hold your stomach for. The kind that, as you grow older, you need to cross your legs for. (Older women will get that reference). I have that feeling every morning when I talk to my sister. It could be the simplest thought that sets us off. This morning it was comparing people to the characters in the Wizard of Oz. We know of two people in one family that fit this bill. One has no brain and one has no heart.

Know Your Audience

It was a slow day in work yesterday. It is always slow on school vacation weeks. Since there were no patients in the office, the doctors came up front to the main office to talk. These doctors are all in their late twenties to mid thirties. One had just returned from a vacation to Mexico and was telling us some funny stories about what happened there. We were all laughing. There was a new patient in the waiting room filling out paperwork. Her doctor was just finishing a session with a previous patient, so she went to the restroom. As she returned to the waiting room, she felt that it was necessary to walk in to the front office and reprimand the "girls" for not working and socializing. The doctors just looked at her like she was nuts. She had no idea who she was scolding. She was taken in for her session and when she was checking out she made a comment about the "girls". I informed her that the "girls" were the doctors and she was a bit out of line to have made a comment. She looked totally embarrassed and was speechless. The moral of the story is to know your audience.

Liked

I do not understand the concept of "liking" something or someone. Years ago you liked something if it was good and you liked someone if they were nice. It was an internal feeling. You did not have to go around telling people who and what you liked. Now, the word "like" has become an internet concept. I find the little hand with the thumb up to be quite annoying. What does being "liked" get you? Maybe it brings more traffic to your page. Maybe it doesn't. The other day a news show ended and the commentator said, "Remember to like us on Facebook". It sounded so needy. If I have to remind you to like me, maybe you didn't really like me that much in the first place.

Extra Jobs

This week I did three jobs. One was mine and two were created by other people. I do not mind working, but I do mind adding needless tasks to my already busy day. Last week a young girl hit my car. She must have been distracted while driving and her car only came to a stop when it hit my bumper. A new part time job was created. I had to spend my time calling the insurance company, getting a damage estimate, reserving a rental car and bringing the car to a body shop. The next job was created by my health insurance carrier. A claim was paid wrong and somehow I was the only one who could explain to them how to fix the problem. Isn't that what they are trained for? I spent more hours on my two new "part time jobs" than I did on my real job. I know that our politicians want to create jobs. Maybe they need to walk in my footsteps. There will be jobs for everyone.

Bringing The Sunshine

When I was in Florida a few weeks ago, the weather went from bad to beautiful. It seems that the winter had been cold and gloomy. As we sat at the pool, my parent's friends came by. Each one said the same thing. "You brought the sunshine with you". I always smile and say that we surely did. Then I think to myself how silly that statement is. I picture myself packing the sun in my suitcase between a bathrobe and a pair of sneakers. As it goes through the baggage X-ray, it tries to dim itself so it won't be noticed. When I unpack it, it flies to the sky to brighten everyone's week. As per my instructions, it will shine for my entire stay. The night before I leave, I lasso the sun and repack it so it can go home to New York. The day I get home, my parents tell me that the weather has gone back to cloudy. Maybe I do bring the sunshine.

President's Day

Today is President's Day. The post offices are closed. So are the schools. There will be very light traffic on my way to work this morning. This day is supposed to be a day to celebrate the great Presidents of the United States. Too bad the current one is not included in that group. He has lead this country backwards. We have gone from strong to weak. From happy to discontented. From secure to worried. He praises the killers and admonishes the good. It is like "bizarro world" where all thinking is topsy turvy. I am counting the days until this person is out of office and America can hold its head high again.

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day. This is the day that most of us are obligated to send cards and give candy. This year I went to the supermarket with my husband and I saw him picking out roses. They were quite expensive and totally unnecessary. I walked over to the florist area and asked him which ones he was picking out for me. He handed me the bouquet. I said they were lovely, thanks for the sentiment, now place them back in the holder. He wanted to buy them but I said no. As long as the thought was there, that is all I needed. As we are married longer, the sayings on the Valentine's Day cards grow sillier. What was meaningful when I was in my twenties is downright ridiculous now that I am 60 and married 36 years. In my 20's the card said that you took my breath away. Now walking up the stairs with my laundry basket does that. In my 20's you made my head spin. Now if I miss my blood pressure medicine, it spins. Years ago if I walked into the room and saw you, I got hot. Now it just means that the air conditioning temperature needs to be raised. As we grow, things change. There needs to be a section in the Valentine's Day card area for people married over 25 years. The cards need to say thanks for staying with me through all the crap of the last 25 (or 30 or 40 or 50) years. I realize that you had nowhere to run to but it is still nice to think that you stayed of your own free will. Now, take out the garbage, cook dinner and pay the bills. That is what love is really all about.

Brrrr

It is freezing outside. Bone chilling winds. I actually had to put a coat on Shelby to take him out for a walk. This type of cold weather makes me think about wildlife. Where do the squirrels go? What about the birds or the homeless cats. Even though their body temperatures are a bit higher than humans, they could freeze to death.  Anyone that works in the outdoors today will have a brutal time trying to keep warm. I feel bad for them.

Handling

My family bought flowers for my mother for Valentine's Day. I did the ordering online. As I got to the final checkout screen, I saw a few charges. There was the cost of the flowers. Great. The cost of the tax. Fine. The cost of the shipping. Expected. Then I saw it. The cost of handling. Normally shipping and handling are lumped together in one fee so it is not that apparent. Here it was separated. I understand all of the other fees but the handling fee annoys me. If I am paying for the flowers and shipping, I think it is understood that someone has to put them in the box. Just like when I go to a store. Do I pay the cashier a handling fee for putting the item in the bag? Of course not. To ship, you must handle. Unless you use a chute.

Crunch

I was in a car accident yesterday. I was at a full stop after exiting the parkway ramp when a young girl behind me hit me at full force. The impact was so hard that her airbag deployed and her entire front bumper flew off of her car and into the roadway. My car only had bumper damage. I now drive an ivic as the C of the word Civic is somewhere on the road. I have no idea why she did not see me before she hit me. Was she on the phone? Was she texting? I never asked because it did not matter. All I know is that I now have one extra problem that I did not need.

Determination

About four years ago the director of the place I work for presented a program at a mental health convention. After the program there are usually people that wait to speak to her. A man approached her and told her that he had always been interested in psychology but never pursued his dream. She told him to call her office and he could become a research assistant because then he would have experience to put on his resume when he applied for graduate programs. He was 40 years old and a cameraman for many top television programs. He began to come to the office once a week to do research and become her personal assistant. We all liked him and he became one of our work family. After being there for a year, he applied for graduate school and was accepted. He had saved enough money as a cameraman and photographer to quit his job, work per diem and go to school full time. I had not seen him in three years. Yesterday he walked in the office all dressed up in a suit and tie. He was interviewing for an internship. I would bet 100% he gets it.

No One Showed

I returned to work yesterday but no one else showed up. The weather forecasts said there would be snow but no one knew how much. Since the weather people have been so off in their predictions recently, there is no trust in what they say. Lately 2" turns into 2 feet. As soon as a flake fell, the phone calls came rolling in. No patients means no doctors. I got to clean up all of the work that had not been done for the week that I was away. By lunchtime I was all caught up.

Foreboding Sky

Today is my first day back at work since my viscation. I did not sleep well last night, hoping that there would not be snow on the ground when I got up. I kept looking out of my bedroom at a pink sky. That is usually a foreboding sign of snow. Pink clouds mean bad weather. I am up now and so far it is clear. I hope it stays that way. I would not care as much if I did not work in a hilly area. Snow and hills do not mix well.

One Beautiful Word

I saw my grandson last night for dinner. I had not seen him for a week as I had been away. He was so excited to see me. He wanted to tell me about everything that happened this week. He started to talk as soon as he got into the car and did not stop until we took him home. Each sentence started the same, with the word Grandma. He said it Grandmaaaaaaaaa. He told me about which house was for sale on his block. He told me that he bought turkey for his daddy's sandwich. He told me that the bagel store gave him a cookie. He showed me the gas station where mama gets gas and the library where he made a bear. He pointed out where the dry cleaner was. He told me that he wanted a Hot Wheels birthday party and that he needed to go to "The Party City" to get things. He went on and on, with every sentence making perfect sense. I love that little boy so much.

Time Warp

I flew home from Florida on Thursday. I arrived at the airport and the flight was listed as being on time. When the plane was not at the gate I realized that we would be a bit late. We were supposed to take off at 1:30pm and land at 4:30pm. We actually took off at 2:00pm and you would think that the arrival time would then be 5pm. Somehow we landed at 4pm. How did taking off late make us arrive early?

'Snow way

I woke up this morning to snow. I was in Florida until last night and I came home to dry land. Everything was green again. When you are on vacation you do not listen to the news. I had no idea that there was a storm on the way. I was shocked when I looked out of my bedroom window and saw a blanket of white. On went the boots. A doctor's appointment was cancelled. The dog was stomach high in snow when I took him for a walk. I wish I was back in the tropics.

Homeward Bound

I fly home this afternoon. I had a very productive trip. I helped my parents get back on their feet, literally speaking. When I arrived they were not doing too much as far as a social life. As I leave they have eaten out every day, gone to the pool and socialized with every friend they have here. They are their own peppy selves again. They seem five years younger in only five days. Sometimes I think that all people need is a good push in the right direction. Some positive "coaching". That is what I do best.

There and Back

Did you ever notice that getting there takes longer than getting home? This morning I visited my in laws at the cemetery. We decided to take the streets rather than the parkways since we did not have an EZ Pass and we were not sure if the rental car had one. We only had to go on two roads but were not sure how many miles it was. It seemed like forever driving down the first road. The next road also seemed a bit long. We visited my in laws graves and filled them in on the past year's events. We got in the car for the drive home. The first road took 4 minutes. The second road took about ten. All we did was reverse our direction but somehow the road home always seems shorter.

Jump Start

When I arrived in Florida my parents looked good but my mother was moving a bit slow. She was not using the walker as she felt it made her look old. I have a no nonsense attitude with her. I explained that staying in was a far worse option than going out using her walker. She realized that there was no argument on this topic. She picked up the walker and is walking as fast as she used to. Her quality of life is greatly improved thanks to a bit of tough love.

Heavy Metal

Last night I went to a heavy metal concert.  The audience was rocking and swaying.  Their heads were bobbing up and down.  Let me be more specific.  The heavy metal part was comprised of walkers, wheelchairs and canes.  The rocking and swaying was because the entrance to the auditorium was steep.  Heads were bobbing because it was past 9pm and the audience was falling asleep. The concert was at a Florida retirement condo.