Come, walk with me and allow me to share some of my most recent ponderings........In years past, I have had the good fortune to spend a good part of my time as a Mall Sitter. That is what I did whenever I was invited to accompany my daughter and granddaughters on a shopping expedition. There was a time ( some years ago) when I could maintain my stamina and keep up with their pace as we wandered in and out of ALL the stores in the Mall.
I especially remember the times when they were young teenagers and how they were attracted to those stores with the loudest music that was also very fast-paced. We would move from store to store and even though the music might have been different it was still loud and fast......never any soothing music as to the kind I refer to as elevator music. I suppose the music had to be loud and fast to keep the teens hopping among the various stores.
Those stores were all alike. They were jammed with clothes that were arranged in such a way that one had to be a shopping sleuth to find their way among the maze. I believe you could have left a child in there for a week before someone found them! It was after several years of this, when I discovered the various benches and chairs that were scattered along the walkways of the Mall.
It did not take long for me to become accustomed to this new method of shopping with them. I would leave them in the store after announcing that I could be reached outside the store in the comfort zone, comfortably seated on a bench or chair. I had learned to text and receive text messages so we could stay in touch with each other. This was important because I was usually notified by text when they had gathered the articles to be purchased. I did not worry about losing them because I was the keeper of the money........Mine.....soon to be theirs.
I did not waste the hours as I sat on the Mall bench while they shopped because I had learned to use my time wisely. I had learned to become a Mall Watcher, which can be an educational experience in itself. One thing I learned is that a person's gait belongs to the age one is in. For example: children do not walk....they jump, skip or run. They are always moving forward or side to side and they move quickly. If they happen to be in a stroller, they want out and they let everyone within hearing distance know it!
Next there were the teens. They were everywhere! They were easy to spot because they had cloned themselves in the way they wore their hair and dress. Teens try very hard to look like all the other teens and not at all like anyone over the age of eighteen. Most of the teen shoppers were girls and they always came in pairs, holding onto each other and walking very slowly. After all, they had all the time in the world!
Next were the parents. The mothers looked tired, they never smiled. They were also carrying all the shopping bags along with either a diaper bag or very large and heavy purse. They walked as though they were going to the gallows. They were too busy trying to quiet the toddler or hang onto another child. The fathers would usually saunter alongside or behind as though they had not a care in the world.
Finally.........my category.........the seniors. Some would waddle as they walked with weight-bearing more side to side than forward. Canes or walkers were an extension of their anatomy. From time to time they would stop and look all around. I knew what they were looking for, and it was not for a particular store. They were busy looking for an empty bench or chair so they could join the other Mall sitters for a while
My granddaughters are now adults and invitations to Mall- shop have slowly deminished to my gift of a gift card to their favorite store or one carried over from birthday or Christmas. Unfortunately those days have been replaced with appointments for me for my physical tune-ups to just keep me on my feet!
None-the-Less, the memories are pleasant and rewarding, even though my body is not.................................
Oh, the pondering of it all...............see you next time. Enjoyed the walk......................................
Come Take A Walk With Me
Monday, August 27, 2018
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Class Reunion
Glad to see you here this morning! A great day for a walk because we have lots of things to talk about today.............................................
First on my list is my class reunion that I attended this past Saturday. I was really glad it was scheduled in the middle of the day between the hours of 11:30 and 1:30. Why? you ask. Well as you will learn one day, OLD people do not see well enough to drive after dark and OLD people are tired after 4:00 p.m. At this age it becomes a struggle just to get on your feet anytime after 3:00 p.m.
You see, once you are a short distance from the dreaded decade of the eighties, naps must be scheduled in during the day. So the noon hour was a perfect time, even though I could tell by the yawns and droopy eyes some were well into their nap time as soon as lunch was over.
As soon as I entered the designated area, I was face to face with a large table upon which a triangular stand- alone arrangement of pictures stood encircling all our deceased classmates. There were forty-eight youthful pictures as they were remembered as seniors of the 1958 graduating class of old HHS. As I turned to leave the memorial, I found myself staring into the shoulder of a very tall gentleman whom I did not recognize until I read his name tag. He hugged me and with tears in his eyes was evidently in a deep grief state over the loss of his classmates that had occurred over a 60 year span. Recognizing that he must have a history of a previous stroke that must have affected his emotions, I hurridly freed myself and moved on. Surely there were some happy people here somewhere.........
As I navigated through the crowd that had accumulated just a few feet from the entrance doorway, I found my old friend seated in a back corner at a table with another classmate. As soon as we began our greetings, I realized she had a hearing problem since she kept saying "huh?". She admitted that she did need a hearing test after I revealed to her that I had worn hearing aides for the past twenty years and they were wonderful. Unfortunately I avoided her the rest of the evening because a conversation was impossible. I moved on...................................
I navigated through the crowd looking for a familiar face, all too soon realizing that I depended on the name tags for help. Unfortunately, most of those long ago familiar faces had disappeared. Why did they take the pictures away? The names were fine, but I really needed the pictures from long ago.
Suddenly an announcement was made for everyone to gather on the front steps of the building for a group picture. Well that was quite a feat for some since there were a few walkers and canes and obvious walking difficulties. Someone grabbed my hand and it was one of my very best friends from high school. She urged me to come and stand by her for our pictures. It did not help that I knew she had a face lift some years back.......who wants to be old standing beside the one person in the room who still looks like she is forty-something? At any rate she held my hand as we climbed up two steps for our posing position. Shortly before the camera shutters clicked I forgot to put my sunglasses on! So there I was in the class pictoral beside the youngest looking one in the entire class and I did not even have my sunglasses on...so to compensate, I tried to smile broadly and not squint my eyes ending up looking like Mr. Magoo in the old cartoons of the '50s. Must show you the group picture!
We did have a lovely lunch, prepared by one of our classmates who does catering. I enjoyed sitting at a table with two of my classmates I had not been able to talk to at the last reunion. The dessert table was filled with delicious sweets home made by some of our classmates.
I used my time following the meal to visit every table and speak to all who were there. I found it amusing that most everyone found a table as soon as they arrived and did not leave it for anything other that the picture and the food line. I would guess that there were only ten of us who navigated among the tables and tried to have a short visit with each person. Why would you come to a reunion and sit with the same person you see every day and not visit all in the room? Then, again, I suppose the imposition of walkers and canes played an important role in that decision.
Oh the pondering of it all......................................
All in all, it was a lovely noon gathering with lots of memories shared and wishes and prayers for each of us to return yearly instead of every five years. We left with plans to meet again in August 2019 on the 2nd Saturday. Same place..........same time.......................
We can only hope................................................................................................
See you next time............enjoyed the walk
First on my list is my class reunion that I attended this past Saturday. I was really glad it was scheduled in the middle of the day between the hours of 11:30 and 1:30. Why? you ask. Well as you will learn one day, OLD people do not see well enough to drive after dark and OLD people are tired after 4:00 p.m. At this age it becomes a struggle just to get on your feet anytime after 3:00 p.m.
You see, once you are a short distance from the dreaded decade of the eighties, naps must be scheduled in during the day. So the noon hour was a perfect time, even though I could tell by the yawns and droopy eyes some were well into their nap time as soon as lunch was over.
As soon as I entered the designated area, I was face to face with a large table upon which a triangular stand- alone arrangement of pictures stood encircling all our deceased classmates. There were forty-eight youthful pictures as they were remembered as seniors of the 1958 graduating class of old HHS. As I turned to leave the memorial, I found myself staring into the shoulder of a very tall gentleman whom I did not recognize until I read his name tag. He hugged me and with tears in his eyes was evidently in a deep grief state over the loss of his classmates that had occurred over a 60 year span. Recognizing that he must have a history of a previous stroke that must have affected his emotions, I hurridly freed myself and moved on. Surely there were some happy people here somewhere.........
As I navigated through the crowd that had accumulated just a few feet from the entrance doorway, I found my old friend seated in a back corner at a table with another classmate. As soon as we began our greetings, I realized she had a hearing problem since she kept saying "huh?". She admitted that she did need a hearing test after I revealed to her that I had worn hearing aides for the past twenty years and they were wonderful. Unfortunately I avoided her the rest of the evening because a conversation was impossible. I moved on...................................
I navigated through the crowd looking for a familiar face, all too soon realizing that I depended on the name tags for help. Unfortunately, most of those long ago familiar faces had disappeared. Why did they take the pictures away? The names were fine, but I really needed the pictures from long ago.
Suddenly an announcement was made for everyone to gather on the front steps of the building for a group picture. Well that was quite a feat for some since there were a few walkers and canes and obvious walking difficulties. Someone grabbed my hand and it was one of my very best friends from high school. She urged me to come and stand by her for our pictures. It did not help that I knew she had a face lift some years back.......who wants to be old standing beside the one person in the room who still looks like she is forty-something? At any rate she held my hand as we climbed up two steps for our posing position. Shortly before the camera shutters clicked I forgot to put my sunglasses on! So there I was in the class pictoral beside the youngest looking one in the entire class and I did not even have my sunglasses on...so to compensate, I tried to smile broadly and not squint my eyes ending up looking like Mr. Magoo in the old cartoons of the '50s. Must show you the group picture!
We did have a lovely lunch, prepared by one of our classmates who does catering. I enjoyed sitting at a table with two of my classmates I had not been able to talk to at the last reunion. The dessert table was filled with delicious sweets home made by some of our classmates.
I used my time following the meal to visit every table and speak to all who were there. I found it amusing that most everyone found a table as soon as they arrived and did not leave it for anything other that the picture and the food line. I would guess that there were only ten of us who navigated among the tables and tried to have a short visit with each person. Why would you come to a reunion and sit with the same person you see every day and not visit all in the room? Then, again, I suppose the imposition of walkers and canes played an important role in that decision.
Oh the pondering of it all......................................
All in all, it was a lovely noon gathering with lots of memories shared and wishes and prayers for each of us to return yearly instead of every five years. We left with plans to meet again in August 2019 on the 2nd Saturday. Same place..........same time.......................
We can only hope................................................................................................
See you next time............enjoyed the walk
Monday, August 6, 2018
August
A good day for a walk, so glad you could join me. Sometimes I get things on my mind and this is one of those days when I need a good friend to listen and share some of my ponderings.
I like the month of August. Nothing special has to happen in August except birthdays. Trips to the beach or wherever are winding down and those who are in school, college or graduate school are busy preparing for another year. It seems that August has a way of making us slow the pace a bit, look around and notice that already some of the leaves on trees are beginning to fade. The days have begun to get a wee bit shorter with daylight a little earlier and the sunset a little earlier also. That is fine with me. I do not like waking up at 5 a.m. to daylight nor do I like to go to bed at daylight. August seems to get things back in a more correct order.
As we walk along, there seems to be a special quiet about August. The birds are not frantically screaming and looking around for a place to nest for the expectant moms of birdland as they were in May and June. I no longer have to fight the birds from selecting their nests in my decorative wreaths or any of my planters. That is a relief. The breeze among the trees appears a bit more gentle now that the fierce summer storms have hopefully subsided. Most of the vegetables in the gardens have been harvested, the fruits have been enjoyed in pies and any freezing and canning in usually finished by middle August.
August is also the month for the last days of summer. It is the month for the last beach trip, the last tube ride down the river, the last of the barefoot strolls through the soft grass. It is the last of extra time off from work, and maybe finishing that last summer novel.
August ie a great shopping month for all those summer clothes you would like to have next summer. In a way, August allows you a glimpse into another year. Of course I will buy that lovely outfit I have been waiting to be reduced! I will enjoy wearing that next summer!
If I get really energetic, I may even use the calm August to begin cleaning closets to prepare for the cooler months of September, October, and on into the winter. It is also a very good month to do that extra cleaning of windows. There is no yellow pollen in August and it is not very hard to find a good day to work outdoors.
August also seems to be the perfect time for reunions: Family reunions, old high school reunions, college reunions, and homecomings for many churches. As the pace slows and summer harvest is completed, it is easier to call those who wish to renew family ties and acquaintances. August is a good time to come together.
Speaking of high school reunions, mine will be this coming Saturday. Many of those who attended and graduated high school in 1958 will once again come together for a renewal and remembrance of those times we shared so long ago. There will be many who will not be there due to poor health, disabilities and of course those who have deceased. This will be our last five-year reunion. It has been decided that since we are all Septuagenarians, perhaps meeting every year or two would be better.
And so it is with sweet August...........simple days.........renewed friendships..........shopping.................cleaning......................and...............August is...........
MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!
Oh the pondering of it all......................................................see you next time.
I like the month of August. Nothing special has to happen in August except birthdays. Trips to the beach or wherever are winding down and those who are in school, college or graduate school are busy preparing for another year. It seems that August has a way of making us slow the pace a bit, look around and notice that already some of the leaves on trees are beginning to fade. The days have begun to get a wee bit shorter with daylight a little earlier and the sunset a little earlier also. That is fine with me. I do not like waking up at 5 a.m. to daylight nor do I like to go to bed at daylight. August seems to get things back in a more correct order.
As we walk along, there seems to be a special quiet about August. The birds are not frantically screaming and looking around for a place to nest for the expectant moms of birdland as they were in May and June. I no longer have to fight the birds from selecting their nests in my decorative wreaths or any of my planters. That is a relief. The breeze among the trees appears a bit more gentle now that the fierce summer storms have hopefully subsided. Most of the vegetables in the gardens have been harvested, the fruits have been enjoyed in pies and any freezing and canning in usually finished by middle August.
August is also the month for the last days of summer. It is the month for the last beach trip, the last tube ride down the river, the last of the barefoot strolls through the soft grass. It is the last of extra time off from work, and maybe finishing that last summer novel.
August ie a great shopping month for all those summer clothes you would like to have next summer. In a way, August allows you a glimpse into another year. Of course I will buy that lovely outfit I have been waiting to be reduced! I will enjoy wearing that next summer!
If I get really energetic, I may even use the calm August to begin cleaning closets to prepare for the cooler months of September, October, and on into the winter. It is also a very good month to do that extra cleaning of windows. There is no yellow pollen in August and it is not very hard to find a good day to work outdoors.
August also seems to be the perfect time for reunions: Family reunions, old high school reunions, college reunions, and homecomings for many churches. As the pace slows and summer harvest is completed, it is easier to call those who wish to renew family ties and acquaintances. August is a good time to come together.
Speaking of high school reunions, mine will be this coming Saturday. Many of those who attended and graduated high school in 1958 will once again come together for a renewal and remembrance of those times we shared so long ago. There will be many who will not be there due to poor health, disabilities and of course those who have deceased. This will be our last five-year reunion. It has been decided that since we are all Septuagenarians, perhaps meeting every year or two would be better.
And so it is with sweet August...........simple days.........renewed friendships..........shopping.................cleaning......................and...............August is...........
MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!
Oh the pondering of it all......................................................see you next time.
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