Well this hasn’t been a very eventful week, and for that, I am truly thankful. OK so, the glass-screened door in the living room got frozen shut and wouldn’t close and all the cold air was coming in from the porch. We had to call a friend over to help us at one in the morning because I injured myself trying to unjam the door and ended up barely able to use my arms for three days afterwards. And yeah, we’ve had almost seventy inches of snow and it’s not even officially winter yet. I tried to shovel, even though I was only able to push the snow because I had a muscle strain and couldn’t raise my arms from trying to open the stupid glass-screened door. Finally and thankfully, the husband of one of my best friend’s came by and dug us out. So all was well until…no, there is no “until,” all was just well and there was nothing else to worry about or cause me to fret or fear. OK yeah, so I had to get groceries and the weather kept holding me back and I started having weird upper respiratory allergies to some unknown thing that made my nose so stuffy that it felt like I had cement in my head, but really this was as bad as it got.
So, in other words, I had a fairly normal week full of the little stresses that befall us all. I hope I have more weeks like this, because it’s a nice break.
On top of that, mom likes the physical therapist that comes to our house twice a week to help her get stronger. I arranged this on the sly with her nurse practitioner because mom was saying she could do it herself and we both knew that was not going to happen.
(Seriously, why are senior citizens so stubborn and rebellious? People can talk about the terrible twos, and those awful teenage years, but let me tell you, senior citizens have all the others beat when it comes to pure cussedness.)
At first, mom wasn’t happy with me for arranging this, but thankfully she realized I did it to help her and she loves the guy, which is a real bonus. So, yeah, we’ve had a fairly uneventful week. Some might even say, boring, but see, after dealing with cancer and cancer treatment, boring is good. Boring is a blessing. I can handle boring.
Well OK, so maybe not all that boring; mom jumped out at me in the dark tonight and made me jump about mile in mid-air. She cracked up and so did I after I stopped screaming.
I tell you, those senior citizens are something else.
I'm a writer and editor. I make my living with words. I've had more than one hundred of my poems and stories published. I'm a member of the National Writer's Union, The Academy of American Poets and a bunch of other organizations which make me sound pretty important. I'm not, but it sure looks purty, don't it?
What Cancer Brings 
What is clear from this post is that we should be grateful if we’re feeling the ordinary annoyances. It’s evidence that they haven’t been displaced by tragedy or illness.
Neither has your mom’s sense of humor, apparently. Go, Mom! BOO!
Vanessa, mom is a piece of work, but I think that’s why she’s been able to get through everything with such a bright attitude. She’s an amazing woman, but the practical jokes…oy
Hahaha – she sounds like she has a sense of humour your mum. I know what you mean about ‘senior citizens have all the others beat when it comes to pure cussedness.’ – I know some very stubborn senior citizens who just will not listen to advice. 70 inches of snow just amazes me!
Gabrielle, she is definitely something else.
Yes 70 inches of snow, of course that’s nothing for us. We average at least 100″ each other and sometimes almost 200″. Of course you’re in Australia, so BIG difference from what you’re used to seeing
On the subject of “boring” – I have a sister who says “Excitement is overrated”. There is something to that.
As to jumping out at people to…surprise…them – not me. Not since I did this in my late teens – to the same sister. She has a terrific right cross. I hadn’t known that. Sitting on the floor looking up at her – with a sore jaw – I learned.
Normality, with “the little stresses that befall us”, sounds like a good thing.
Very funny Kevin. Ironically mom gets very angry if I play practical jokes on her. That’s when she bops me with her cane or worse.
There’s a lot to say for boredom. When we’re busy as bees and our heads are in a twist, we seem to beg for tame boredom. lol
I’m so happy to read that you and your mom are getting along so well Rach. It’s a wonderful thing that eveything is moving towards an awesome place, and a promising new year. That’s a major bonus is itself.
I pray your hands and arms heal up very quickly, and that no after effects hang around either. That’d be soooo awful if it did choose to bother you for any longer.
Well Rach, I hope you both have a wonderful Christmas! Stay warm and drink plenty of hot coco and/or hot coffee. Yum, that sounds awesome… I might have to wash my own coffee cup soon enough.
jkb
Thank you James. My arms are all better now. Hard to believe, because last week I could hardly move them without wincing. That cup of cocoa sounds good. Think I’ll have one now. Yummy.