May 31, 2024

What bothers me is every day is seeming to be a repeat of yesterday.

June 20, 2024.  Heat of Summer and Care of Yard

Summer has finally arrive at 4:50 pm today, and the high was 91.  Just like I used to remember summer from my youth back in Minnesota when working on the farm baling hay (I was doing the stacking) or cutting grain later in July sometimes when the temperature exceeded 100 F.  Yes it was hat then also but not discounting climate change which is not weather change.  Yet it is real but has various effects depending on location, time of year, water temperature in seas and so on.

Summer temperatures are only a sidelight to a thought on my mind.  I finally caught up on all yard projects to get things in shape for the summer:  Weeding, mowing, planting, watering, trimming roses, etc.  Including locating a disable sprinkler head in the front yard which I found was needed to help water all the flowers lining our sidewalk.  Watering is necessary to have a lawn and yard that I am proud of but will try to cut back somewhat compared to last year to help reduce cost.  Much of this work was somewhat difficult physically as am feeling my 81.5 years after the work. arthritis effect and being somewhat unsteady but finished it and now resting up for a couple of days.  From now on will be tending to the front (easy) by mowing (15 min maximum time), watering via automatic sprinkler and any light trimming and clean up.  Back will require watering raised garden beds, fruit trees, strawberries, tomatoes, roses (several) and other plantings.  Nice thing is I have taken time to set up semi-permanent sprinklers for some of these tasks which only requires hose watering on two others.

Now time to somewhat sit back and maintain the beauty of the yard.  

June 29, 2024.  Perusing issues of longevity of my life.

This is one of those days in which I am feeling older and which are becoming more frequent of late.  Most of the time they occur when I may be over-extending my physical endurance related to present perceived age.  I realize I have more days behind me than in front  and no matter how long I live am in the last quarter of my life.  I really don't mind getting older but would like to take advantage of where I am in the cycle.  Let me explain:

I always had a mental image of what I would be doing at a certain age, many times related to my father at the same age.  Not that we were the same, lived a similar life style or in the same era.  He lived in the first half of the 20th century, through the depression and all which went with it, had a more physically demanding job being a farmer or laborer.  When he was my current age (81) it was 1992 and by then he and Mom had left their home of 27 years to live in an apartment.   They were living a very relaxing lifestyle in large part restricted to their smaller living quarters and which they both seemed to be comfortable.  When still in their home, Dad no longer mowed his own lawn once he reached his early 70's but still did some gardening.  They had a small dog named Princess for a companion, mainly for Dad.  By the age of 75 for Dad and 71 for Mom they had already downsized their home and providing each of the children with their personal belongings.  Within a couple of years Mom and Dadhad already passed on any items they would not use in their new 2 bedroom apartment.  And as far as I am aware they did this in cooperation agreeing what items to keep and what to give away having collected many things over 50+ years of marriage.  To be fair, most of Dad's things that were farm related had been passed on many years before when he left the farm and probably having not collected a large number since having had very few hobbies.  The majority of the items were probably Mom's things.

In making a comparison, I also passed on many things when relocating to the West Coast about 32 years ago but also am a large believer of not keeping things which I can either no longer use or have no further value.  Compared to my parents, being age 81  and my spouse 73 we still remain in our home with all its treasures.  I still take care of the yard with difficulty.  Some of which (but not all)  could be hired out, but at a price.  The image of what would be required to take care of smaller quarters compared to our current home is a pleasant one.  On occasion I wonder when it might take place but realize it would require much dialogue, discussion and planning and may be my image alone.   For now is a pleasant thought and while it may be futuristic, there are things I can do to bring about lower personal expectations and physical demands.  These are items for much thought and discernment.  

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