The Discovery of More Storm Damage

Every other week during the summer we watch our daughter's two boys. They are old enough to stay alone, but it's a good chance to separate them from their sister and a chance to spend time with them. Today while Sam and Papa left on a mission, Jack (9 years old in 3 days) and I went for a walk to the river. We wanted to see how high it was after all the rain. There is an access point down the road from us. As we approached the path, we saw a downed tree ahead.

It had fallen across the path, but we were able to get over it.  Jack thought it might a little hard for me because I was a senior citizen.  I managed without too much difficulty. 

Once we got across, we saw another tree down.  This one I walked around instead of going over.

Usually from this point you can see the river but not this time.  As we looked ahead, all we could see was tree upon tree.  There was no way we could go any further.  

 

This must have happened during the storm two weeks ago.  I wrote this blog about that scary day.  http://www.thecabincountess.com/2017/06/a-severe-june-thunderstorm.html

I knew it was bad, but not this bad.  It could easily have taken out our woods or even our house.  Jack was disappointed that we couldn't reach the river.  I told him we would go to another place next time and maybe do some fishing.  As we were walking home, we met the homeowner across the road from the path.  He was getting his mail.  He lost many many trees on his property.  He told me he was in his workshop when the storm hit and that suddenly all the air was sucked out of his workshop and actually lifted him off the ground.  He thought he was going to die.  He thinks it was a tornado although it was never declared as such.  I hope that doesn't happen again.

When we got home,  Jack and I took the metal detector.  He wanted to search for treasure in the woods.  That didn't work out either.  By the time we finished, Sam and Papa had returned.  We finally got rid of our old heavy 32 inch television.  It still worked perfectly, but it was time to join the modern world.  We found a place to take the television for a small fee.  

Today was a day to be thankful.

Agility Is Lost With Old Age

Some say getting old is not for the faint of heart.  Truer words were never spoken.  Stuff happens as the famous bumper sticker reminds us.  Some things are very very serious and a lot of people have a lot to contend with.  After spending the past three days moving furniture out of three rooms and finding a place for it, we went out for supper.  At the restaurant I saw a man in a wheelchair struggling with his ketchup.  His right arm didn't work, and he had to do everything with his left hand.  We weren't sure if we should offer a helping hand, but we also know people are very proud and he probably wouldn't want the help.  Later as he was leaving, he managed to put his own wheelchair into his van.  Yes, he drove.  I'm not sure how, but he did.  My husband offered to help load his wheelchair but he declined.

Lately we have had stuff happen, but all of our own makings.  Sometimes we forget that we aren't as agile as we once were, and we really don't have any reason to be in such a hurry.  We are retired, if it doesn't get done today then that's too bad.  Rushing and being in too much of a hurry usually causes problems.

It all started with my husband Mike.  This Spring he was cleaning out a Martin house we have.  We don't get Purple Martins but several other birds like it.  It is on a pole that is telescopic.  He had our grandson's with him.  They lowered the first section and were working on lowering it further.  A bolt that secured the pole snapped as he was trying to loosen it.  The section came crashing down and the bird house hit Mike in the head.  He was fine, but it looked terrible.

Next it was my turn.  Most of you who read this blog know that one of my pastimes is watching the birds and wildlife.  Whenever I get a glimpse of something out in our marsh, I run for the binoculars to get a better look.  If it is worthy, I get the camera.  Well, one day I heard a whooping crane.  I was so excited, I grabbed the binoculars to look out the patio door window.  My first mistake was that I forgot to take off my glasses and my second mistake was that I got too close to the window.  I hit the window so hard with the binoculars, I jammed my glasses into my face.  I saw the crane and ran out for a photo just as it was flying over.  I forgot all about jamming the glasses.  A couple days later while I was brushing my teeth, I noticed a black eye.  I don't look in the mirror much so it took that long to discover it.

Next it was Mike's turn again.  He has a new project going on with our son in law.  They had purchased a piece of equipment, and Mike offered to unload it.  He had to unload a very heavy motor but is usually very good at using simple machines like levers, fulcrums and gravity to do the work.  He had a hand cart and was using a pry bar to ease the motor onto the cart.  He was rushing and didn't have the bar secured.  It slipped and hit him right below the eye.  He was lucky it was closer to his cheek bone than his eye, but again it looked very sore.  People stared at him and then me.  I guess they thought I had a mean left cross.

Ok, enough is enough.  We have to be more careful.  Pretty soon we will be reported for elder abuse on each other.  But no, it wasn't enough.  This morning I got up early and went out to do my usual chores.  I always bring fresh jelly out to the birds.  I fill up the other birdfeeders and check out my plants.  I went to the garage to put away the birdseed containers.  I had jelly on my hand and I didn't want to get the door knob sticky.  Somehow I slammed the door hard rather than turn the knob.  The trouble is I didn't get my hand out of the way.  I caught finger in the door.  At first I thought it was cut but then I saw the finger nail.  It had already turned purple and hurt so bad.  I ran into the house and put it in ice cold water.  It didn't help.  It was throbbing like crazy.  I put some lavender oil on it and jumped up and down.  I was feeling a little woozy so I laid down for a minute.  Mike didn't hear a thing.  It still hurts and I will definitely lose my finger nail.  It is bruised too.  This is not turquoise nail polish, it is the color of my nail.

 
Soon it will be July.  Hopefully we will not have anymore incidents.  I think we have to admit that we aren't teenagers anymore and even though we feel young, we are not.  Time to be more mindful of our surroundings and abilities.  It's a bitter pill to swallow but facts are facts.