Grugger’s Way

I was shaving my face this morning (got rid of the beard) when the topic of today’s post came up.

Wait a Minute!  The topic “came up?” 

I WAS ALONE.  IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR!

Discussing my day’s agenda with my reflection in the mirror?  How long has this been going on? 

I’ve heard all the old jokes about talking to yourself and answering too, and arguing and losing, etc. etc., but is talking to yourself normal?  Is it really so different than ”thinking” to yourself about what you are going to do this day while also shaving?  I guess I might be talking outloud to myself when there are no other people around.  Do I only do this because I am alone in the house?  Perhaps I would do it all the time but restrain myself from talking outloud when other people might hear me.   I fear it may be related to aging, but then I see little kids who frequently talk to themselves while playing.  Perhaps I am nearing my second childhood. (I refuse to believe I am already there.)

I tell you, people look at you funny when you talk to yourself.  They will change direction or speed up just to avoid coming near you.  I know this because I do it when I am shopping for groceries and there are odd balls walking around talking to themselves. 

The other day I was in Wal-mart and a guy in a wheelchair was talking about the various sizes of the Clorox bottles.  Then I look again and decided he looked pretty normal and seemed to be having a conversation with someone who wasn’t visible.  Oh, wait a minute!  He had one of those wireless cell phone thingies attached to his ear.  I should have realized that, since this guy was talking WAY TOO LOUD to be talking to himself.  (I think most people who talk to themselves in public kind of mumble anyway.)

By the way, topic of today’s post was going to be whether or not ”older” folks are less able to tolerate the VERY hot weather (high 90’s) that we experience in summer, even here in Montana.  Oh, yes.  Hot weather makes us talk to ourselves.

Yes, I have joined the Boomer RV crowd and have enjoyed some recent outings where I met a number of really terrific folks who are often 10-20 years older than I am.  That makes them 71 to 81 years old, and they are a vibrant, enthusiastic life-loving group of RV owners and campers.   I recently discovered a pretty good blog site for the RV crowd as well.  It’s the RV.Net (http://blog.rv.net) and they feature a number of authors who specialize in particular aspects of RV camping and the phenomenon known as “full-timing.”    These are folks who write about cooking, RV maintenance, power trains and road emergencies.   

Since my wife and I recently purchased a used motor home we also received invitations to join the Good Sam Club.  There are some pretty good benefits here too and the web site is great.  I have found that I particularly enjoy the Good Sam Club magazine, Highways.  

Anyway, this weekend was spent at a very close-by RV park that also features a Square Dance center, so the place was really “hopping.” Sort of.  I think we are really enjoying our early experiences with the motor home and perhaps some day we will be ready to go “full-time” but for now, weekenders keep us occupied and still close enough to home that we can take care of our pets’ medications without having to entrust them to someone else. 

I’m beginning to Enjoy the Retired Life.

Oh great, I’m gaining weight (again). So what causes this?  Sitting on my butt in front of the computer screen. Sitting on my butt in front of the television.  Sitting on my butt reading a book.  Sitting on my butt most of the day–every day.

I am realizing, once again, that merely doing the “chores” around the house will not result in fitness, nor weight loss.  I thought my activity level was high enough to at least maintain my weight, but this recent gain reveals that yard work and household duties do not even equate to maintenance.  I need to really raise my metabolic rate and what has historically accomplished that for me is RUNNING.  I don’t know if my knees are up to running anymore, at least not the distances that I used to do–six to eight miles a day–but I will start out slow and short, which is where I was 26 years ago, just starting to run…but I was also 35 years old then, not 61. 

What to do?  Getting outraged won’t help–getting outside will.  I may have to adjust my diet some as well.  Too many desserts do add to the miles I will have to run to cancel out each one.  I say this all like I have been here before…well, I have.  Although I am still 23 pounds lighter than I was at my heaviest, I am ten pounds heavier than when I retired. 

UP and AT EM, Doug!  Time to become slim, lithe, agile, willowy.  (Willowy might be a BIT much.) 

Roosters, chickens, donkeys and horses…ah…the smells of the country life, and all these critters belong to the neighbors-which is the way I prefer it.  Close by but not too close, and no responsibilities for their care and keep. There are more than just a few chickens out here, in the suburbs, away from the center of town and the hustle-bustle of traffic and shopping centers.

A clucking hen is a comforting sound in the morning, as she goes about her business, I go about mine. 

My goal today is to get a haircut and buy the wood that I need to continue the repairs on our deck.  After sanding it last week, the wife and I painted it over the weekend.  We liked the way the deck looks now, but the railing is peeling and in pretty bad shape.  That is my task for the remainder of this week: replace the railing, at least about 40 feet of it, then sand and paint the balusters and new railing.  Other projects are on “hold” until the deck is ready to receive company for the 4^th of July.

The meadowlarks are singing and the lilacs are in bloom.  What a great smell that is too. 

All must be well with the World on such a gorgeous morning. This should be a good day.