We’ve come down to our last days of 2018, so let’s see some of what happened in these past 12 months.
January/February began with lots of bitter cold and ice, so I stayed inside and watched six seasons of “Frasier” reruns on DVD. With no commercials, it didn’t take as long as you may think. It was also the month we discovered a school picture of George’s brother on display in our living room, and never have figured out how it got here. And, I found the quote, “Growing old is like being increasingly penalized for a crime you haven’t committed,” by Anthony Powell (1905-2000). I’m beginning to believe it is absolutely true. Just when you are retired and have things you want to do, you begin to have a hard time staying well enough to get to do them.
March/April came in like a tame lion, so we were glad to have Poor Man’s Soup for supper one evening. (No, the Brown Jug didn’t open up again.) I had their book of recipes, and Poor Man’s soup was one of my favorites, so my son-in-law made it and invited us over for supper. It was also when I fell “splat” on the floor at the elementary school, and it hurt so badly, I thought I would never be the same. Fortunately, I walked it off. I also wrote an article about my first cousin, Doyt, who was a quadriplegic, yet was able to go on to graduate from high school and college, and became a teacher for learning disabled children. I don’t remember where I found this next quote, but it’s a good one. “Everyone needs to be needed, wants to be wanted and loves to be loved.”
In May/June, I got to watch the baby robins hatch out in their nest outside our bathroom window and see them fly away on their own. But, sadly, it was too soon for them to survive on their own. I read “Grief Works” by Julia Samuels and learned a lot about grieving. The following words about grief are something you may want to think about: “We have inside us a basket of memories and sadnesses, and each time we can tell one of the stories, we let the weight go a little.” That’s something for all of us to think about.
In July/August, we suffered with it being too hot every day, and it continued to be too hot until the middle of October, when it got too cold, too soon. (And we have been too cold ever since.) While getting some snacks at the cafeteria at Marion General Hospital, I experienced having the person in front of me “Pay it Forward.” He told me he had already paid for the muffins I was carrying. I was amazed by his kindness. I could tell by his clothing that he was a nurse at that hospital. Also, I discovered “Britain’s Got Talent” on YouTube and have enjoyed watching all the top winners from the past eight years. (Just search “Richard and Adam” and you can enjoy it, too.)
In September/October, I had a serious medical issue, and when my doctor figured out what was wrong and prescribed the right medication, I remember telling her I thought she was a “magician physician.” Thank you, Dr. Taylor! That’s also when I lost my driver’s license and medical card. It’s now two months later, and I still have not found them. “Cinch and Saddle,” the 4-H club that meets at our farm, did very well showing their horses at the Delaware County Fair. Nine kids took nine horses and two miniature horses to show. Six members came home with first-place trophies and a lot of ribbons. This 4-H club honored our police officers by wearing thin blue line T-shirts. Congratulations go to their 4-H advisor, Naomi Derwent.
The months of November/December are passing by at an extremely fast pace. We spent a lot of time getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner, having it, and cleaning up afterwards. It was on the news about it being 55 years ago, this Nov. 22, when President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Texas. As for news from the horse barn, two teenaged girls strung Christmas lights over the roof line and around windows of our barns, as well as making a false ceiling of lights over the aisle inside the barn. Thanks go to Kora and Tristin. Recently, when I was downtown Delaware having my hair cut, I noticed an original poster on the wall near where I was sitting. In a child’s handwriting were these words: “A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE WOULD BE NO MORE POOR.” This was written by a girl named Lilah when she was 7 years old. She is 9 now and attends Buckeye Valley East. Thanks to Lilah for giving all of us something to think about, not just for now, but far into the new year of 2019.
