Lazy Sunday—and a PS on aging

 

“And on the seventh day, Godrested.” I took full advantage today of God’s designation of Sunday as a day ofrest. For some reason last night I couldn’t get to sleep—almost never a problemfor me. So this morning I felt justified in sleeping a bit past nine o’clock.But if I thought I slept late, the Burtons outdid me—except for Jacob who was upand out the door about ten to go host at Joe T.’s. It was well after elevenbefore I heard a peep out of his parents, which meant Sophie did not get hershot this morning. The vet said it’s okay to miss once in a while but don’t doit too often. So this was once in a while.

That start to the day threw mywhole schedule off. I had intended to cook this morning, but I needed somedishes from the house—and some bourbon. So I did an extraordinary thing: I cancelledSunday dinner. I was going to make sheet pan chicken with potatoes and carrots,but I knew the Burtons had big dinners (they went to two separate dinnerparties) last night and were out late, and I had a vision of fixing that onlyto hear, “I’m not really hungry.” Plus I wanted to do the cooking that I hadn’tdone in the morning. I was making two appetizers for a celebration happy hour tomorrownight, and once I decide when something is to be done, I am a bit compulsiveabout it. I wanted to cook today, so that I could work at my desk tomorrow. Besides,Zenaida will be here cleaning, and I can’t cook when she’s here—the cottagejust isn’t big enough. I hide at my desk while she cleans.

Last night Jean came forsupper, and I splurged. I had intended to make tuna casserole—I have a standardrecipe I’ve used for years but somewhere found a new one I thought I’d try. WhenCentral Market had halibut on sale, they hooked me. I fixed roast halibut withcrumb topping and creamed spinach—Jean liked it so well she insisted we splitthe tiny bit left in the pans. And I agree—it was a really good dinner. Topped offby chocolate bonbons.

I need to add a PS to mythoughts on aging, posted in this blog last night. Not that I want to talkabout me and my health a lot, but I have several chronic conditions—A Fib,hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, once advanced but now moderate. Plus Icannot walk without assistance. But I am determined not to let those conditionsdominate my life. I will not go to the doctor constantly to have my bloodlevels checked, my heart studied on an echocardiogram, and so on. I godutifully when scheduled, and, praise be, I get a clean bill of health on thosevisits. But those conditions are not front and center in my daily thoughts. Infact, I rarely think about them. I feel healthy, pretty energetic, and I amdetermined to live life as normally as I can for as long as I can.

I did talk to my brothertonight, for whom health is more of a problem. He’s pretty much bedridden—weak asa kitten as he tells it. When I had hip surgery, someone convinced my childrenI would need an electric wheelchair and should get it with Medicare aid while Icould. It sat as a great obstacle in my closet for several years, but about sixmonths ago we got it transferred to John at the ranch, and he gets up to sit init for a while most days. Today we had a great conversation with lots oflaughter, and I thought how wonderful it is that he, in his condition, has anintact sense of humor.

And then I realized again: it’sbecause of our mother. She taught us to be tough doctors’ children, never tocry “Wolf,” to soldier through whatever happens, to pay attention to our healthbut never take it too seriously. And until dementia took her mind, she had amarvelous sense of humor. My dad’s family, by contrast, went into a panic if hesneezed, and I think she was trying to counterbalance that. Bless you andthanks, Mom.

It all comes back to positivethinking, at least in my mind. Sweet dreams and positive thoughts to each ofyou!