This may take awhile!

A trip to the cell-phone store earlier this week was eventful. Our first stop resulted in Ol' Abner storming out with me explaining that he was old school management and had no appreciation for some of the new technology requirements. Hmm. Back in the car he complained that employees of his beloved corporation were now lazy and incompetent. Hmm. I was disappointed that the new version of my smartphone was not in my hand. His request to have our accounts combined in order to take advantage of his retiree discount had been met with the bad news that one of us would need to change our phone numbers. NOT going to happen...It was a stand-off or maybe a walk out after the young man told us it was beyond his capabilities. I sulked, he ranted.

The next morning he drove to another location, the one where we usually succeed after failing at the first. We are slow learners. He told me just to get the upgraded version and he was OK with paying the full price. The company had awakened to the fact that I am no longer an employee about a year ago and my discount just evaporated. We were greeted without having to sign in and wait, taken to a workstation to assess our needs. As helpful young man reviewed my plan and made a couple of suggestions, Ol' Abner commented that it was criminal that our accounts couldn't be combined without changing phone numbers. Hmmmmmmmm. Knowledgeable, truly helpful young man asked a couple more questions, looked at both plans, and offered to solve the problem. The solution involved numerous extra keystrokes on his part, but in the end Ol' Abner was further convinced of the incompetence of the staff at the previous location.

I now have the latest greatest version of my smartphone, and knowledgeable-truly-helpful young man recommended I try a new tactic to match all my devices and recover my ability to synchronize my music player with my new computer. It worked like a charm. Now Ol' Abner needs to write one of those letters for which he is known. Some blatant discrepancies in quality of service from one location to another really should be pointed out to the mother company!

Peace, Joy and Love

The house is quiet this morning. We are at daughter's house planning to meet son for a lunch halfway across the metroplex. Our children lead such busy lives and their paths usually only cross during the holiday season. Since retirement, Ol' Abner and I have done the holiday traveling. When we made the move to Dogpatch, we knew winter travel for our children would be next to impossible. We were much more mobile then any of them. We love having the flexibility to come and go as we like. Some years we have been in the Lone Star State to celebrate a bit early, then return to the mountain for Christmas Eve and the remainder of the holiday season. I wonder how future holiday seasons will evolve.

This year I feel a strange calm. No sense of frenzy usually felt during this week of the year. Could it be I have finally accepted my role as Yuletide observer in lieu of perpetrator? It's a joy to listen to the plans of grandchildren and visit while they go about their activities. After Christmas, we will travel home with son and daughter in law. They are in a new home this year and I can hardly wait to see how festive it will be there.

Peace on Earth, Good Will toward Man! That's the spirit...and maybe I'm beginning to get it.

Dam Knitters

When I was in college, many of my dorm mates were learning to play bridge. Card games have never been my forte, so I followed the path of friends learning to knit. Can't say I mastered the technique, but I did learn to knit and purl. A resurgence of interest in the process among Dogpatch residents has sparked my interest again. Returning from a spring trip to Santa Fe with my treasures purchased in a yarn shop there, I was thrilled that our local flower shop had added the fiber section. An ever growing group of women, young and old, gather for classes during day and evening sessions. Open knitting is hosted twice weekly with knitters sharing tips and showing off skills. The comradarie has become a support system in and of itself. These women share concerns and joys as the thread of friendship accompanies the twisting, slipping and turning of yarns to complete an accessory or a garment. The group has been tagged the "Dam Knitters."

Yesterday's Open House event was well attended. I can hardly wait for spring classes to begin. My resolution for the new year is to learn to make socks. That probably should have been in BOLD, ALL CAPS. Yes, I am going to learn to make socks in the coming year. There! I have committed in writing.

Slippery Slopes

Winter in Dogpatch can be treacherous and heart-warming. On really cold days the neighborhood looks devoid of human population. Let the sun show it's bright face and walkers are strolling the streets. A little moisture can create icy streets and walkways. That's enough to keep me inside. The klutz gene evolves quickly with just a bit of the slippery underfoot. Dry leaves on a path become more like roller skates when wet and cold. I dare not brag that this season hasn't YET resulted in a spill for me, it's only a matter of time. Wouldn't it be nice if a preventive vaccine could be developed to stave off accidental slippage of aging bodies. As much as I complain when expected to have an annual flu shot, a shot to keep me upright with movement would be gladly welcomed.

I do take reasonable precautions. When approaching a flight of stairs, the handrail is always used. No more do I race up or down stairs with an armload of anything. As I waited for Ol' Abner to have a diagnostic test yesterday, I strolled around the perimeter of the medical facilities. It was chilly, but luckily dry. Inside the hospital, a walkway to the adjoining medical school is accessed by several flights of stairs. On the second day of long hours in the car seat, a bit of total body movement was a necessity. Approaching the wide stairs with some measure of trepidation (all things going up must come down???), I easily walked up the stairs and emerged to traverse the skywalk. The return trip was perilous in my view. As fellow travelers just bounced down the center of the wide flight, I waited for availability of a handrail on the right side to balance my descent.

It's morning on the mountain now. Whatever the weather holds in store, I will have my outdoor time today. Baked goods abound in the neighborhood, and indulgence is a foregone conclusion.

Maybe I Should Just Pass on the Cheesecake

A few weeks ago a friend showed me an "app" on her smartphone that would track progress and map out walking paths. Looked pretty cool so I immediately downloaded it. It also allows an option to add friends to compare notes and challenge workouts. Sounded wonderful and I tried it out as soon as I was ready for a walk. Not being technologically astute, as previously lamented on these pages, the first use of the program was totally unsatisfying. About every third step a voice from my pocket would yell "auto pause", then seconds later "auto resume". After about a minute and a half of that, being a slow learner, I finally just turned it off. Returning home I looked into the settings function and discovered the ability to turn off the "auto pause" function, and happily enjoyed the use of my application on the very next walk. Not only does it map my walking path, but give data that includes distance walked, elevation changes, speed walked and OH YES, calories burned. Such a comfort to know that the 500 calorie piece of cheesecake indulgence can be offset by walking four miles uphill...well maybe NOT so comforting. Perhaps I should have only eaten half the cheesecake. Either way, a bit of personal control and accountability seems like a good thing.

I have told many of my friends about the application and several have now added it to their smart phones. As I mentioned earlier, friends can share workout information with me and I with them...I think. So far I have accepted several friends into my fitness community, but I cannot see any of their progress. I wonder if they can see mine. Often I find myself at a loss where technology is concerned. The interaction of others figuring out methods of using the technology seems to be required with most things these days. Dogpatch is sorely absent of such interest, at least among my acquaintances. Maybe I need to make another trip to the Lone Star state where I was first introduced to this new wonder, or maybe I will eventually figure it out on my own. Sometimes I'm pretty stubborn that way.