PLEASE DON’T WEEDEAT THE LILIES

Most people nearing retirement are  determined to live in their own home.  However,  it doesn’t always work out that way if one spouse dies, gets sick, or disabled.  But  let’s  suppose you’re lucky enough to age in place. You have the strength to shop, cook, and clean your house. And yet, maintaining a lawn is more challenging.  If you are over eighty, chances are you are paying someone to do that. Unfortunately, our lawn man passed away , and we had to hire someone new this year.  Beware: Just because  someone owns a lawn mower, it doesn’t mean they can tell a flower from a weed.  So, if you’re starting out with a new lawn  service, you might say:  Please don’t weedeat the lilies.

Please don't weed eat the lillies. They won't bloom if cut down too soon.
PLEASE DON’T WEEDEAT THE LILIES. A new lawn person may not be able to tell them from weeds.

Lilies are probably one of the most beautiful spring flowers, but their blooming period is short.  For years, my husband and I planted bulbs along our fence in the fall.  Come spring, we had a splash of colored lilies that brightened our yard and brought joy to everyone who passed by. Lilies only bloom for a short time, but they’re definitely worth waiting for.

This spring, it looked like the mild winter and spring rains were bringing us a bonanza of lilies.  They were sprouting up everywhere, doubling what had come up the year before.  We watched in excitement, thinking of all the beautiful blooms we were about to see.  And then, along came our new  lawn man with a young  helper.  A  girl who didn’t even look sixteen.  As I glanced out the window, I saw her calmly running a weed eater along the fence row, chopping down lily after lily in a matter of seconds.  I raced out the door, yelling for her to stop. She seemed confused.  Turns out she was the man’s daughter.. Heartbroken,   I asked, “can you tell a flower from a weed?” To which she sharply replied, ‘No Ma am.”

The father was apologetic; offered to buy new lilies.  But all the money in the world couldn’t restore those nineteen dead lilies, cut down before they were able to fulfill their mission on this earth.  So my advice to you is this.  If you’re starting out with a new lawn service, be sure to say : Please don’t weedeat the lilies.

OLD DOG LEARNED 10 NEW TRICKS

No one can predict how much time we’ll spend on this earth, but there’s a general perception that everything goes downhill after 80 years.  In some ways, that’s true in regard to physical capabilities.  There’s arthritis, high blood pressure, and all those other physical conditions that the elderly must cope with.  However,  this old dog learned 10  new tricks after her 80th birthday.  Since that milestone, I have learned to:

1. Start a blog. This was like learning a whole new language.  I could never have done it without the generous help of younger folks at Ivy Tech Community College and the Vigo County Public Library.

2. Make a smooth omelet. My omelets were always lumpy and falling apart. Finally, I went on You Tube and learned the secret is using a blender to whip up the eggs before pouring them on the skillet

Old Dogs Learn 10 New Tricks. You can learn to play Mahjong after 80
Old Dogs Learn 10 New Tricks. You can play Mahjong at any age.

3. Play Mahjong. I was a bridge player since college.  Years ago, I attempted to play Mahjong, but soon gave up, as it seemed too complicated. And then, three years ago, I was lucky enough to find the right teacher.  I still enjoy bridge, but Mahjong is just as challenging, without the pressure of pleasing a partner. And you can play online!

4. Navigate Netflix. We started sending for Netflix CD’s several years ago.  But when the pandemic hit, we kept hearing about all the Netflix series that could be streamed .  It seemed way too complicated, but a Netflix customer service person walked me through all the details.  Binging on a Netflix series like Bridgerton  helped us through the long winter of Covid-19 isolation..  We’ll be watching less TV this spring, but I’m so glad I learned how to stream.

5. Rebloom an amaryllis bulb. Three years ago, my husband ordered a pot of amaryllis just in time for Christmas.  I had never seen anything so miraculously blooming in the winter. After reading the instructions, saved the bulbs, and repotted them the next winter.  It was  exciting to see the leaves shooting up slowly, and 6 weeks later when the flowers bloomed again.   Now I’m hooked.  My basement has nearly a dozen bulbs hibernating until next winter.

6.  Stop a nosebleed. My husband is prone to them because he’s on blood thinners.  Usually, we called the doctor if it happened.  But during the pandemic, we didn’t want to sit in a doctor’s office with other patients. We got online and found  this advice: : Have the patient lean forward, not back.  Take a cotton ball and soak it in liquid nasal decongestant.  Put the cotton up the nostril that’s bleeding.  If you have a nose pincher, use that. Otherwise, pinch with your fingers.  Within 15 minutes, the bleeding  has usually stopped.

Other new skills acquired were: 7) Online banking: transferring money and paying bills via the internet, 8) Practicing daily meditation  using the Calm app.  9) Texting messages and sending  photos on my cell phone   10) Completing jig saw puzzles.

If  you dread  turning 80, or have already reached that milestone, just remember:   It’s never too late for old dogs to learn new tricks.

GRANNY’S KINDLE ALARMS ATLANTA TSA

Remember when everyone had a Kindle ?  If you were traveling, you would see people in hotels and motels sitting in the lobby reading their Kindle.  On beaches, paperbacks were replaced by those little gray devices that someone had received for their birthday or Christmas.  It was all the rage.  However, when we stopped going south for the Winter, my Kindle was relegated to a desk drawer.  Last week, I recharged it for a trip to my granddaughter’s wedding.  Stuck it in my suitcase, and sailed through TSA at the Indy airport.  But on the return trip from Atlanta, I was stopped by airport security and told my bag would have to be opened.  Did they think an octogenarian in a wheelchair was carrying something dangerous?  Turns out, Granny’s Kindle alarms Atlanta TSA.

Granny's Kindle Alarms Atlanta TSA. Electronic devices shouldn't be in your suitcase.
Granny’s Kindle alarms Atlanta TSA. You shouldn’t put electronic devices in your suitcase.

Whew. They didn’t inspect my Kindle for suspicious reading material.  Actually, I didn’t even have to remove my sandals.  But I learned my lesson.  Should have put my Kindle device  in the tray along with my cell phone.  Then I would have avoided the embarrassment of exposing the contents of my sloppily packed suitcase.

Here’s what’s happed to the  Kindle:   It’s gone out of style.  When launched ten years ago, it seemed miraculous.  You could carry hundreds of stories  in that little slip of thick, black plastic.  And it was pricy, at $399. In 2014, 32% of adults used a Kindle or Nook for reading e books.  Currently, only 19% own an e reader.   Why? Because they’re considered clunky compared to reading an e book on your I phone.

Yes, I could spend hours gripping my slippery cell phone and squinting to read a 435 page novel.  But I’d much rather relax with my trusty Kindle that I can prop on my knees during a plane ride  When you have arthritic fingers, bigger is definitely better.  And reading a Kindle is much easier on the eyes.  Amazon uses eInk technology on Kindle.  This means that the screens reflect light in the same way that paper does, so  that your eyes won’t get tired when reading like they do when looking at an iPhone.

At home, I prefer reading real books. I like turning pages, and the feel of a hardcover  in my hands. Not sure if or when I’ll be getting on another airplane.  But you never know what’s going to come up.  So, I’ll store my Kindle in a drawer, available if needed. .  However,  since Granny’s Kindle alarms Atlanta TSA, I’ll throw it on the conveyor belt in plain sight  if I ever fly again.

THE DREADED UNSUBSCRIBE CHORE

Why do I still have AOL?  It’s crazy, I know.  Very outdated.  The Democrats  made fun of Mike Pence because he still uses it.  But there are too many people from my past who still  contact me that way, and I think it’s too late in my life to change my e mail. Here’s the bad thing:  AOL has some way of connecting me to every website I’ve ever visited, and  places where I’ve purchased anything.  Not only that, the politicians have wormed their way in,  and  dog me  for contributions to causes and people I really don’t care about.  Every so often, after receiving about 100 emails a day, I find myself faced with the dreaded unsubscribe chore.

 

The dreaded unsubscribe chose. It's tedious to unsubscribe.
The dreaded unsubscribe chore. It’s a tedious task, but every so often it’s necessary.

Do you know how to cut down on those unwanted e mails?  I didn’t ,  until I read about it in Heloise. You  know, the lady newspaper columnist who tells you exciting ways to re purpose toilet paper rolls.   At any rate, Heloise said that first, you open the dreaded e mail.  Then, you scroll to the bottom of the page.  Put on your glasses, get a flashlight, and squint at the fine print.  Somewhere in there it says,” unsubscribe.”  You click on that.  And, if you’re lucky,  you will receive a message that you’re unsubscribed.

But it doesn’t always work out so easily.  Often, you will be directed to another message which demands to know why you’re unsubscribing, and making you verify that you honestly don’t want to get any more emails from them.  Or, they ask you to key in your email address–as if they didn’t know.  After you’ve done  that about 30 times a , it gets tiresome and time consuming.  Sometimes,  they’ll tell you that it may take a while to get unsubscribed, and not to worry if you still  keep getting emails from them .  That’s a sneaky way to keep you from losing track of who you’ve unsubscribed. The truth is, some of them will never let you go.

At any rate, today’s the day to start the dreaded unsubscribe chore.  I will only give it an hour of my time, which won’t even scratch the surface.  But you have to start somewhere.

BEWARE OF SUNLIGHT ON THE SNOW

We Hoosiers don’t get a whole lot of snow in the winter.  Consequently, when we do, we aren’t always aware of the dangers of snow  blindness Got a hint of it this morning going back and forth to the mailbox.  In 10 inches of snow, it was slow going, even with my sturdy snowshoes.  And yet, the bright sunlight was so cheerful that I didn’t mind the cold.  But when I got back in the house, everything looked green.  I had a temporary case of what the doctors call photokeratitis.    Within minutes, my vision was back to normal.  But if I’d spent the day on the ski slopes, it might not have cleared up so fast.   Beware of sunlight on the snow.

Snow blindness is like a sunburn to the eyes,  caused by exposure of the eyes to ultraviolet rays reflected from snow or ice. It  can happen to people who work or play outside for long hours on bright, sunny days. Snow  burned eyes can sneak up on you. As with sunburned skin, by the time you notice the symptoms of snow blindness, you’ve already been out in the sun too long.

Symptoms include:

  • eye pain,
  • a burning or gritty sensation in the eye,
  • sensitivity to light,
  • blurry vision, and
  • seeing halos around light sources.         :

Fortunately, snow blindness is usually a temporary condition, lasting about 2 days.  Here’s the treatment advised by opthamologists.

  • Apply frequent preservative-free artificial tear lubricants
  • Stay indoors, preferably in a dark room if you are experiencing light sensitivity, and/or wear dark sunglasses
  • Don’t wear contact lenses until the condition has been resolved
  • Apply cold compresses to the eyes
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes
  • Topical anti-inflammatories or antibiotics may be prescribed in severe cases
  • Use OTC oral pain relievers
Beware of sunlight on the snow. Always wear sunglasses when outside on bright, snowy days.
Beware of sunlight on the snow. Snow blindness can be prevented by wearing sunglasses.

Snow blindness can easily be prevented by wearing sunglasses.  Simply wear sunglasses that block 100 percent of the sun’s UV rays whenever you are outdoors during daylight.

 Children  love to play outside in the  the snow, but  most parents don’t think of telling them to wear sunglasses.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, ultraviolet light  damage is cumulative over a lifetime.  Children should wear sunglasses to  help to reduce ultra violet related eye diseases in later life.  Having your kids wear sunglasses when the ground is covered with snow is as important as having them wear them on a summer day at the beach..

If you want to prevent snow blindness, dig out those summer sunglasses and wear them outside on bright, snowy days.

SHOULD A BANK BE YOUR FRIEND?

Why does anyone choose one bank over the other?  In my case, I’ve kept my money in the same bank for almost all of my life.  I think I opened an account there because they were located half a block from my first job. They don’t have good interest or mortgage rates.  And I don’t know any of the tellers or the bank manager. On the other hand,  my husband keeps his money in another  bank, and probably always will, because he knows the manager and  most of the bank tellers by name, and they all know him.   Is that a good reason to choose a bank? Should a bank be your friend?

Should You Be Friends With Your Bank?
Should a bank be your friend? Or should you look for  one that has high ratings for safety and security?

Actually, I enjoy the impersonal nature of my relationship with my bank. It protects my privacy.    Yes, their security measures can be annoying. As an example, I have to show my ID when cashing a check.  My husband doesn’t have to do that, because the tellers all know him.  But his bank has also been known to make minor mistakes with his accounts,  and my bank never has.

When they do make a mistake, he’s very forgiving.  So what if he’s paying for overdraft protection on his checking account, and  they still charge him a fee if they  forget to transfer money from savings?    Yes, they finally get it straightened out when he goes in to complain, but it’s a hassle I’ve never had to deal with.

I guess it all boils down to what you want from a bank. I want efficiency and safety.  He feels safer with people who are friendly and interested in his life. I guess that’s why our city has so many  banks.  Different strokes for different folks.

Should a bank be your friend? For some, it’s important.  But my bank got a five star rating for financial safety & soundness from  Bauer Financial.  and has been  named as one of the best banks in the country by Forbes magazine.  To me, managing money is  what banks are for.

ANXIOUSLY ZOOMING INTO CYBERSPACE

People have been Skyping for years, but, I wasn’t too keen on it. Then, my children guilted me into thinking I really ought to connect with my faraway grandchildren.  Still, I shied away from the idea, citing my lack of tech savvy.   But when my daughter sent me a webcam, I knew the jig was up.  I had no excuse to avoid my Skype  anxiety.  Seeing myself on webcam for the first time was a shock. My dark distorted image  resembled a horror movie monster.  Someone said it was all about the lighting.  That helped a bit.  But I still found it awkward making conversation in such an unnatural setting.  The covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the problem, because  we couldn’t have a family get together.  That’s when , I found myself anxiously zooming into cyberspace.

If you’re  reading this blog, you probably know the difference between Skype and Zoom.  But, just in case, I’ll explain the difference.  With Skype, you’re just connecting with one place.  There may be more people in the room, but basically, it’s a one-on-one situation.  With Zoom, You’re in a video conference with 3 or 4 people, all in different places.  On Christmas day  I found Zoom  to be a pleasanter experience.  With more than one person participating, there’s less performance anxiety.   It felt as though my  three kids and I  were sitting around in a living room, just like in the old days.  Conversation felt natural, and unstrained.

anxiously zooming into cyberspace. Zoom fatigue is causing anxiety during the pandemic.
During the pandemic, many are anxiously zooming into cyberspace. Zoom anxiety is real..

Not surprisingly, many younger people have Zoom anxiety, especially when it comes to meetings associated with their work.  It freaks them out to see all those people looking at them.  Worse yet, is the unflattering sight of their own panicked face.   They  find themselves feeling sweaty and tongue tied.  The problem is so prevalent that Psychology Today has offered 3 tips on how to deal with it. 

If you’re interested in zooming, all you’ll need is : A phone or computer; a webcam; speakers, a microphone, and of course, an internet connection. If  You don’t need to have a Zoom account., most adults in the workforce already have one.

In my case, my daughter e mailed  me an invitation to join her meeting.  I clicked on the link, downloaded Zoom, used the passcode provided, and voila! I had zoomed into cyberspace.  Not too bad for an octogenarian!