Not Seeing the Point

As we age body parts begin the inevitable decline, and Ol' Abner seems to be declining at an accelerated rate. Don't get me wrong. The old guy still stalks up and down our little piece of the mountain, climbs the ladder to clear leaves and acorns off the roof, and chops logs and other wood from downed trees. Always an energetic sort, he requires longer periods of rest between his physical endeavors and those same tasks must be of shorter duration these days. I know this appears on the surface a rather mundane observation, but a routine diabetic eye exam yesterday shook his foundation of personal strength. Yep Ol' Abner has developed the dreaded macular degeneration in one eye.

I didn't go in with him to see the doctor. After a two plus hour wait, I opted to go out to the vehicle to check on the dog. She had agreed to make the long winding three hour trip off the mountain with us after a three year hiatus. We thought she had begun to tolerate longer rides and might even begin to travel with us again. This visit, expected to be a fairly routine eyeglass update, seemed the perfect time to bring her along. The wind was blowing very and I was chilled to the bone after walking her around the grassy areas to sniff and greet walkers. When finished I opted to just enjoy the warmth of the passenger seat to wait for my spouse. As the critter and I settled in with my book, he tapped on the window clad in the temporary shades provided in the eye clinic. When I opened the window, he blurted out "I have macular degeneration and I don't want to go blind!"

My reaction to horrifying news is generally disbelief...followed by massive gathering of information. Given the family history, the disbelief was not present, but many questions remained. Uncle JH had developed the condition and we watched as he valiantly attempted to remain independant while his vision deteriorated at a rapid pace. Once we reached the homeplace I set to work to track down the name of a retina specialist I had met many years earlier. Dr Eddie had given a presentation on exactly this condition and treatment options to retard it's progression. After reading a little more about it and researching treatment options, it would appear that Ol' Abner was given instructions that follow standard protocol. Still, I think we may seek a second opinion.

Perfection

I slept late this morning. The warm covers along with a labrador retriever snuggled next to me allowed the luxury of sleep to last long after the emergence of daylight. When at last my pajama clad self shuffled down the hall in search of caffeine, the dog strolled just ahead of me as if awaiting my comments. I poured a cup of fresh brew and glanced out the kitchen window. A fluffy white snow covered everything in sight. It looked as though time had stopped long before I awoke. Now I knew the reason for the dog's smirk. The silent clean look of fresh snow is even more beautiful with the knowledge that one need not venture out into the cold. I walked around the inside of the house checking the view through each window. I watched in awe as a few snowflakes fell. Short moments later a true flurry of snow was falling softly increasing the thickness of my white outdoor carpet. Paw prints in the snow from the front porch with a singular trail circling back to the door showed evidence that early morning business had been concluded. The tiny disturbances were quickly filling with snow. Ah yes, the blanket would soon be smooth and perfect again...or so I thought. Just as the critter started to bark loudly from her perch at the front window, I heard the roar from afar. Around the corner came a huge yellow grader plowing the snow from the street and making long heaps at the side. Well so much for the undisturbed beauty of new fallen snow!

Just One Ordinary Day

The new year was welcomed in Dogpatch with the sound of bombs and rockets. Only the four legged member of our household seemed to mind. We were wide awake, sober and entertained by marathon reruns. To most it doesn't seem exciting, but there is comfort in the warmth of home with mindless passing of time. Ol' Abner shuffled off to bed shortly after midnight lamenting that we missed the ball drop in Times Square on TV. I continued watching the reruns of a show that we seldom watch, but enjoy. It's on one of those channels that we don't often visit since it doesn't offer sports or news....hmmmmm. Now you know who drives the remote at our house. I guess we are pretty ordinary. Today, that ordinariness (is that really a word?)is reassuring. Best of all the sun is shining on this cold winter day. I do so love sunshine!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!