A New Year: Hoping for the Best Year Yet: 2025 – 05

Changes

Hello again! Not only do you have to check my website’s Blog if you want to read the latest post, but the posts will be shorter (one of you called it a Blog-ette :-)). That’s because I can only write when I have time and I don’t want to let it sit until I will have time again. The good thing is that the posts will not come only once a week but more often. So here goes:

Dental Joy

Earlier this week, I got a new crown on my #1 wisdom tooth. The tooth, including the filling, had broken clear in half, without me noticing. The dentist discovered it at my six-month checkup. The procedure was painless, and the new crown feels smooth. But at night, when I put in my Invisalign retainer – which I use at night to keep my upper and lower teeth from moving – the top one did not fit. Oops. I had just seen a special at the dental office for $499 a set. (They sell them by the set, even though one of them is still good). I called the dentist and left a message with the receptionist. I never heard back.

This morning, I took the matter in thy own hands (literally). I planned to cut off the last part of the retainer, which would cover the new crown. Well, the scissors did not work; the plastic was too hard. So I got the wire clippers from the garage and yes! I could clip off the last part. I filed the sharp edges with a nail file and…Yes! It fits! The retainer goes on as before! Hooray!

Would you believe that five minutes later the dentist’s receptionist called back to make an appointment! The dentist was going to adjust the retainer. I said,”the retainer is hard plastic, it can’t be adjusted.” “Well, he is going to cut off the last part.” I said, “really? I just did that myself, with a wire clipper, and I filed the sharp edges with my nail file. It fits perfectly.” We both had a good laugh.

Caregiving

Although taking care of Mike is a physically demanding job, especially at my age, that does not mean we are not having fun. Mike may not remember anything, but he is responsive. He reminds me daily to open or close the blinds and pull up the clock weights. We make jokes, especially before going to bed, and I would not miss this for anything: to make the most of the little he has left in life while we still can.

Our Chef

Yesterday was the third time that our Chef came to cook for us. After a little while, the noise in the kitchen and the music of  André Rieu on the TV, and Lani barking occasionally became too much for Mike. I put Lani in the guest room, turned the TV off, and then the smoke alarms went off. In every room. Pandemonium! With a broomstick hit on the nearest alarm the noise stopped, and I opened the patio door. I guess it was all worth it. For dinner last night we had pork loin with cranberry sauce over wild rice. Delicious!

Enjoy Life! Stay well!

Until next time,

Ronny

 

A New Year: Hoping for the Best Year Yet: 2025 – 04

Sabbatical

After February, I just could not find time anymore to write, or read for that matter, or take any time for myself except for haircuts and a manicure once in a while. Taking care of Mike and the house, and all appointments and telephone calls to doctors and the like, the plants, the dog, the birds, took all my time.

But I am back! I found a little more than an extra hour in my day! Let me tell you what happened.

Time! Oh Joy!

Last night, after dinner, I thought: What should I do now? I can’t just sit down and read, there must be something I have to do. But there was nothing I could think of. And it was not yet time to get ready for bed! Wow!

My daughter-in-law had sent me a link to CHEFS FOR SENIORS in Raleigh. I checked them out and signed up! Once a week, a Chef comes to our house with all he needs to cook up a storm. He is here now, and this is his second week. Two days before he comes, I select three or four dinners from his extensive Menu list. He shops for all ingredients (my charge), and for an additional fee he creates 10 to 12 individual meals, enough for a week. He boxes them and labels them and puts them in the fridge. He then cleans up everything and leaves. The cost per meal is about the same as I paid for meals I used to order from restaurants with DoorDash or pick up from Donovan’s Dish.

And what a change in my daily life! I am gaining more than an hour by not having to think about where to order our next dinner, and what to order, waiting for the delivery, which is sometimes later than I ordered, dishing it up, heating it. And then after dinner the kitchen cleanup would be waiting.

Now, we can eat at 5:00 p.m. We have fresh meals with a variety of fresh vegetables, and not always overcooked broccoli from restaurants. An hour later there is nothing more to do. So we can have time together, Mike can go to bed earlier, and I have more than half an hour to myself at the end of the day. Soon, I will even have time to walk with Lani after dinner.

This must be it for today. The Chef is almost leaving and it will be time for our siesta. What a life!

Treasure Life! Stay well!

Until next time,

Ronny