There was a goodly portion of the day yesterday that was pretty laid back. Mr. FixIt had to go to town to get his hair cut. Big to-do this weekend…gotta look good, right? While he was gone, I thought I’d just sit and knit a while…which I did. Then he called and said he found a used car for us and wanted my input. We’ve been wanting to get something that would be lower mileage and get better gas mileage. His old truck has surpassed 200,000 miles and that is not a reliable vehicle should you need to make a long trip. He went by and gave it a test drive. I trust his judgement so today we’ll go pick it up.
“Time it was, and what a time it was, it was…a time of innocence. A time of confidences. Long ago, it must be…I have a photograph. Preserve your memories; They’re all that’s left you.”
This weekend is our 50+1 High School Reunion. Mr. FixIt and I graduated together. We were buddies during high school. We passed each other in the halls and knew a lot of the same people. The first time I laid eyes on him was on the playground in first grade. A red-headed, freckle-face little rascal who chased the girls at recess. He looked all the world like Opie Taylor.
I’ve set aside the stitches for the sleeves and I’m working down the body of the sweater.
I’ve all but stopped watching movies. I’ll bet I could count on one hand how many I’ve been able to sit through since Mr. Virgo died. For a lot of reasons. Mainly, because my attention span is that of a preschooler. But also because I can’t stand blood and gore anymore. Or sirens. Or emergency room scenes. PTSD is a beast that kinda lurks in the background…waiting to pounce when you least expect it. I don’t necessarily miss movies because I have a zillion other things I’d rather do.
Mr. FixIt and I cleaned house this weekend because my stepson and his family were coming over. Mr. FixIt II had a birthday last month and we were all really busy, so yesterday was the day to celebrate. We ordered pizza so there wasn’t a lot of fuss and heat being generated in the kitchen. The boys went out and dug post holes for the new steps and railing we’re putting in for the pool deck. We are getting older and balance is becoming a concern, so it’s time to have something to hang onto if needed.
No, not THOSE kinds of naked ladies! I’m talking about those uber cool pink lilies that kind of just pop up out of nowhere and show off for such a brief time in late summer. We had a super fun day yesterday. I hunkered down and knitted and baked a cake then went to a kitchen gadget party at 4:00 with my cousin while the guys hung out at the bunk house and lit the fire. After the gals finished with the party, we went to join the guys. It rained buckets while we were in the Community Building, but the rest of the evening was lovely. There was a huge tree across the road when we came around a bend. Good thing we were going slow so I could stop. A lot of people out in the country have a chainsaw in the back of their truck for just such emergencies and someone had cut just enough out of the downed tree to let one car at a time come through.
It seems funny to say…I need a day off. I mean, every day is a day off, isn’t it? Retirement is wonderful in that we don’t have to get up every day and drive to work and stay there for.ev.er. Then drive back home and cook supper and clean up then crash for an hour before bedtime…only to get up the next morning and do it all over again. To be honest, I think I’ve worked a lot harder since I’ve retired. I’ve certainly kept busy and accomplished a lot. The only difference is…it’s mostly fun when you GET to do it as opposed to HAVE to do it.
I knew yesterday would be busy. I had two doctor’s appointments…one with my regular health care provider and the other with the endocrinologist. It’s been six months since I had the second parathyroid surgery and I’m actually feeling much better. My calcium is down to a level I haven’t seen in years, my Vitamin D is in the normal range, yet my parathyroid hormone is still somewhat elevated. The biggest relief is the deep bone pain is gone. That’s because my body isn’t trying to eat the calcium in my bones. Not as bad as it was, anyway. I got a relatively clean bill of health with followup appointments scheduled.
When I went to school, we took an aptitude test that would give some idea what career path you might enjoy. While many of my friends were getting results like doctor, nurse, lawyer, and teacher…I came out as a mechanic. I was mortified but later in life learned that interest would serve me well as an adult. I studied to be a Radiologic Technologist…a career that is quite mechanical based. Drawing blood, visualizing internal structures, reading x-rays all require special thinking…something I excel at. When it came to doing things around the house and building things, I was aces. I can tear things apart and put them back together. Even the simple tasks of putting up a tent or towing a trailer involve a great deal of mechanical skills. And besides…they’re fun!
Grief. Unless you are some sort of sociopath, you cannot escape this life without feeling a loss so deep it rips your soul. My first foray into grief was the loss of my PopPop. I was just eighteen. He’d had several small heart attacks so I suppose when he died on his seventh one, it wasn’t a huge surprise to most people. But to me…he and my grandma were my touchstones of unconditional love. I couldn’t tell which hurt worse…losing PopPop, or watching Grandma mourn the loss of the only man she’d ever loved. They got married when she was fifteen. He was her world. It was heartbreaking.
Sometimes things have to get torn completely apart before they can get fixed and made whole. I’ve learned this lesson over and over and over since Mr. Virgo died. Those lessons, while hard earned, have served me well in a plethora of circumstances since. I know it’s not a big deal. I know beyond all else that this is a first world problem. Trust me…I am grateful for every single thing in my life. That being said…things are going to be in a real mess around here for the next few days.
