A First Monday

I kicked up my heels today, the first Monday of living alone. I walked to the stop sign with neighbor Joyce, then I took a joy ride in the car. Joy ride is not the right term; I only ran two errands, but I was free to go wherever I wanted. The first leg was driving to the convenience center, more commonly known as the dump. I had never been there by myself, always having gone with John, then David, and last week niece Chrissie. It was great to know that the trash was out of the house and wouldn’t be too unwieldy for me to manage.

From there I went to Dollar General for things I wanted a bit ahead of time. That included toilet paper, toilet bowl cleaner, and dog food. The pet food that Chrissie and I bought last week was going down at an alarming rate, so I bought a larger bag this time. Kacey wolfed it down when I gave her a sample.

Chrissie and I remarked on a young man in Dollar General who was moving all around the store and seemed to be quite helpful. I was the only one checking out today, and he was standing at the register. He motioned me to come over, that he would check me out. I told him I appreciated that, because I was new to scanning things myself. Chrissie had watched as I did it, but I much preferred him to do it. I said for the first time in 81 years I was living alone, enjoying it but had no one to shop with. He beamed and said, “This is the time for you to travel the world and see everything you always wanted to see!”

I told him I’d seen most of what I wanted to see, and now it was time for people to visit me. I asked what country he would like to see. Ireland was the instant answer. His grandparents had come from there, and he wants to see it for himself. He was so animated and engaging. It was fun to chat with him.

After my trash and shopping spree were over, I talked to son John $ for a couple of hours. We began talking about rotary phones, and I told him the first phone of my childhood had no dial. We would pick up the receiver, wait for the operator to say “number please”, then say the number we wanted. I still remember that the pharmacy was “one”, and my dad’s office number was 29. My grandmother who was born in 1890 had the number 207 and the one born in 1880 had 278. From my description of the telephone, he sent a picture he found on the internet. It was accurate. I found another to send him of a later version. We came back to the present when our stomachs began to growl. He was going to have breakfast, and I was heading for lunch.

First Sunday Living Alone

For months I have attended my church in Asheville via live-streaming. Unlike the disheveled church-attenders pictured in cartoons, I was ALWAYS prepared for worship. I showered and dressed for the day before turning on the computer. I was unfed and un-coffeed. This first Sunday living alone was no different. What shocked me was the volume of my singing. I let loose and sang as if I were in church. Who knew I had kept quiet to avoid disturbing grandson David and put the damper on to protect Chrissie’s ears? I made a joyful noise to the Lord. He accepted the loud praise graciously, I presume. For the record, Kacey didn’t howl.

The temperature shocked me when I was ready to have lunch around 3 in the afternoon. It was 70 F (21.11 C)! The table on the porch was dirty, but it was a joy to clean it up for warm dining. Neighbor Logan came over to visit while I was eating. I was having my leftovers from a Mexican restaurant, which happened to be where Logan had eaten lunch. He had peanut butter and crackers while keeping me company.

Logan asked if I’d like for his mother to come porch sit when she woke from her nap. I was thrilled, because I hadn’t seen her since she got an awful sinus infection weeks ago. Her voice did get a little raspy as we talked, but she looked prettier than ever. I wish I’d asked to take a photo of her.

Bob joined us and took Kacey for a run with the golf cart. That’s the first time she has had a good run since I quit letting her loose. We laughed that she slurped from every water bowl here – in the house and on both porches.

The day ended with phone calls from both daughter Lise and son John $. What a lovely way to end the day!

Hiding from the Dog

At 5:30 nothing was stirring as I reveled in the warmth of the bed. There were two more hours to sleep before the alarm went off! My eyes popped open wide, thinking that if Kacey heard me, she’d be prancing about, wanting to go outside. Niece Chrissie tried to break her of getting up early, a habit she started after David moved out. I used to stay up until 11:30 at night to take her out, not knowing when David would come home, anywhere from 1 to 6 am. I’m still going to bed late, while hoping to sleep in the morning.

I carefully pulled one foot from the duvet, then the other. I tiptoed to the bathroom, hoping the floor wouldn’t creak. No dog in sight. The bed announced I was getting back in. Moving quicker than I thought was possible, I pulled the covers up to my chin and lay there holding my breath. Without hearing aids, I wouldn’t hear the quiet footsteps. Hoping my eyes wouldn’t squeak, I looked toward the door. Yes! The tip of Kacey’s tail moved past the bed. Hold still! Don’t move! If she suspects I’m awake, 45 pounds of dog will vault onto the bed and pounce on me! Slowly let your breath out and inhale silently. Ahh! Don’t make any sound as you relax. For heaven’s sake, don’t snore! Zzzzzzzz

The alarm chimed. Yes! 7:30! The dog appeared almost instantly “Get up and let me out, please!” said Kacey. We found rain falling on bits of ice on the front steps. The temperature was slightly above freezing, so the steps were not slippery. My third day of living alone was off to a well-slept start.

Alone!

I watched myself to see what I would do first when niece Chrissie left. She had come to help David move out, finding a place for him to stay in Asheville, and to be with me for the transition. She caught a ride to the airport with neighbors Cindy and Jim. It was most fortuitous that Cindy was flying the same day. I was now officially living alone, having never done that in 81 years. On coming back into the house, I went to the main bathroom and turned off the towel warmer. That was a logical thing for a miser to do. Kacey was dancing around, so the second thing was taking her outside and untangling her tether.

Being with Chrissie was a marvelous gift. We took photos of the last days she was here. We enjoyed a Burger King picnic at Richland Creek. There was a constant parade of dog walkers, one offering to take our picture.

Stephanie, Chrissie’s coworker and friend, came to have lunch with us. We made a quick stop in Mast General Store, a place I love to take visitors. The floors creak, just like old stores of my youth, and they sell lots of fun things.

On one of our last days, we went to my favorite waterfall and on to the Blue Ridge Parkway. What a lovely day it was to walk a few steps on a trail and take photos of the mountains!

Joyce invited us for dinner. She is one who prepares amazingly delicious food that is also beautiful on the plate. It was marvelous to have plenty of time to visit.

February Days

Chrissie and I enjoyed Valentine’s Day. On our morning walk, she wrote her initials in snow. There were tiny flakes falling on us, which we both loved.

I cooked dark chocolate chip pancakes, and she bought us balloons.

Chrissie’s husband Chris drove here from Massachusetts, then the two of them drove to Florida for a family funeral. We had one meal together when David was also available.

Time always speeds by when I am with them. All too soon Chris was driving north again, but I still have a few more fun days with Chrissie.

A Week with Chrissie in Photos

Niece Chrissie has been with me a week, and I have had a marvelous time. She works five days a week, preferring to sit in a chair in the kitchen amid the chaos of normal living. Weather permitting, she walks Kacey to the stop sign with me. As you can imagine, the dog adores her. Neighbor Joyce walked with us one day, too.

I have photos taken at the creek, but we cheated and drove there after running an errand. The enjoyment was not contingent on walking.

My family was always food-centric, so I tend to record eating events with a camera. I have Chrissie eating fried clams and hush puppies at Jukebox Junction, homemade biscuits with sausage gravy, and sushi at Watami Noodles.

Chrissie and David smile for Mexican chimichangas.

I liked this picture that Chrissie took of Kacey and me.

Finally, you may laugh at my selfie of a bed-head hairdo.

Sarah and Nathaniel Visit

Grandson Nathaniel and friend Sarah came to visit after Christmas and after the proposal. She is now officially his fiancee, and everyone is very pleased. We have photos from the mirror ritual. Nate raises the mirror on arrival and lowers it when leaving. Everyone participates, but I didn’t get the dog in the photo this time.

There are two pictures of them. I thought her likeness was better in one and his in the other, so here you have both.

Snow Day for a Retiree!

The wooden deck had a thin coating of ice, so I suspected the road might be slippery. It was. I saw tire tracks in front of neighbor Joyce’s house and made a mental note to take a photo on the way back. I walked on the side, mostly on gravel or grass, to the big bend. That’s about half way to the stop sign. I got up the steep little hill and told myself I was crazy. Gingerly I picked my way across the road and headed home. It was dangerous out there! In talking with Shawn later, we figured those tracks might have been made by Bob’s truck as he took Logan to school. Public schools were closed, but his charter school was not. Here is the photo of the tire tracks looking downhill.

Joyce’s message was already on my phone. She wrote, “Morning, be careful walking! Schools are closed due to black ice! My school is closed, too.”

I replied, “I WAS careful and have just come in to tell you that it is treacherous right now.”

The woman, who was due to come at that time, asked to postpone cleaning for a week. Suited me! After a quick shower I called daughter Lise, who was watching snow fall after dark in Copenhagen. She showed me snow outside her window, and I discovered it was snowing here, as well. I aimed the iPad outside the window as we chatted. At times the wind would blow hard enough to make the snowflakes skid across the deck. My video, now discarded, did not show that action.

We talked for hours and had a meal together – breakfast for me and supper for her. Later she took a photo of Kacey and me to post on my frame. She is in an upper corner.

When Lise went to bed, I continued watching the snow while sitting at my computer. It began to stick as the sun went down. I hadn’t expected ANY snow today, so my White Day was a wonderful surprise.

Walking in the Cold

It was 7 F (-13.889 C) when I went out to walk just before the sun rose over the mountain. Rime ice had formed on all the trees at the top. Having not grown up with rime ice, I am fascinated by it and love to look at it.

I turned around and went home when I came to a long stretch of ice. Nearly all roads were clear in the area, but not this bit. I would have had to pick my way carefully and didn’t think it was wise.

The day was warming quickly. Four hours later the temperature had risen to 27 F (-2.778 C). I can’t say the house felt any warmer. I hope all of you are staying warm.

Locked Out!

I was shocked to find the garage door locked when I came back from walking. Normally I am very aware of NOT locking it as I leave. Grandson David and Kacey were inside, sound asleep, and I knew I had tricked myself. Although David’s phone never rings, only vibrates, I tried calling him. No answer.

Neighbor Shawn answered her phone cheerily, and I asked, “Are you home?”

Thank heavens the answer was yes. “May I borrow my key? I’ve locked myself out.”

She offered for Logan to bring it over, but I was dressed for the weather and already outside. I wouldn’t have wanted to stay out long, because it was 29 F (-1.667 C) when I left the house and 25 F (-3.889) when I came inside.

Not knowing I was locked out, I enjoyed looking for another tiny flower arrangement. This one was a little to the left of the one taken the day before, and I added my thumb for a size comparison. There are little bits of ice, leftovers from yesterday’s snow.