By Loys Gilley Bolduc
Last week my friend, Lois Jamieson called to see how I was doing. In the course of the conversation she reminded me I had not contributed to her blog, Ageless at 80, in a while. She jolted my memory.
I’ve been busy celebrating my 88th birthday. I call it my unique birthday. Why? Look at the number 88. It is the same right side up or upside down, right to left and left to right.
I had a great birthday and I’m ready to stop celebrating and get on with other important tasks. How about if I start with writing something for Lois’ blog?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Happy April Fool's Day
by Lois Jamieson
I hope you had a chance to play a joke on April Fool’s Day before someone got you first.As teen-agers, my brothers and I loved to play April Fool’s jokes on our mother. She always believed us - or at least she let us think she did. Then when we had grandchildren it was always fun to play jokes on them.
Wondering how this all began I did a little research. Here is what I found out – practically nothing! Actually why or when the 1st day of April was designated remains a mystery, although historians provide ‘feasible’ explanations. I can tell you that there are clues in French history.
At least here is someone to blame if you have a joke pulled on you – Pope Gregory X111 and the Julian calendar. On this calendar, the 1st day of the year began around March 25th. France adopted the new Gregorian calendar in 1582 which made the new year day January 1st.
I hope you had a chance to play a joke on April Fool’s Day before someone got you first.As teen-agers, my brothers and I loved to play April Fool’s jokes on our mother. She always believed us - or at least she let us think she did. Then when we had grandchildren it was always fun to play jokes on them.
Wondering how this all began I did a little research. Here is what I found out – practically nothing! Actually why or when the 1st day of April was designated remains a mystery, although historians provide ‘feasible’ explanations. I can tell you that there are clues in French history.
At least here is someone to blame if you have a joke pulled on you – Pope Gregory X111 and the Julian calendar. On this calendar, the 1st day of the year began around March 25th. France adopted the new Gregorian calendar in 1582 which made the new year day January 1st.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
UNDER THE WEATHER
by Lois Jamieson
Now that I think of it, the phrase “under the weather” sounds rather odd. I guess it’s an old
expression from my youth, or maybe, I just made it up.
At any rate, that is exactly how I would describe both Phoebe and me this past week or so. Phoebe has had some serious eye problems and I just went through a cardiac ablation to regulate my irregular heartbeat, followed by a serious sinus infection. But so it goes, and we are both recovering nicely. You can’t keep us down, we have too much to do.
The heart procedure was quite interesting, although I probably wouldn’t care to do it again soon.
My doctor is a cardiologist who is also an electro physiologist. During the procedure small wires called electrodes are inserted into a specific area, or areas, of the heart. Energy through the catheter disconnects the sources of the abnormal heart rhythm. It took about 4 hours for my procedure and I was awake, but not feeling anything – I was in Happy Land. My real worry was that my white hair would stand out in spikes with all that electricity.
I can’t tell you much about Phoebe’s treatment, that is her story, but I shudder to think of having a needle poked into my eyeball. I’ll take the ablation!
NOW HERE IS A LITTLE WISDOM FOR YOU
TAKE TIME
Take time to work – it is the price of success
Take time to think – it is the source of power
Take time to play – it is the secret of perpetual youth
Take time to read – it is the fountain of wisdom
Take time to be friendly – it is the road to happiness
Take time to dream – it is hitching your wagon to a star
Take time to love and be loved – it is the privilege of the gods
Take time to laugh – it is the music of the soul
- Irish Digest
Now that I think of it, the phrase “under the weather” sounds rather odd. I guess it’s an old
expression from my youth, or maybe, I just made it up.
At any rate, that is exactly how I would describe both Phoebe and me this past week or so. Phoebe has had some serious eye problems and I just went through a cardiac ablation to regulate my irregular heartbeat, followed by a serious sinus infection. But so it goes, and we are both recovering nicely. You can’t keep us down, we have too much to do.
The heart procedure was quite interesting, although I probably wouldn’t care to do it again soon.
My doctor is a cardiologist who is also an electro physiologist. During the procedure small wires called electrodes are inserted into a specific area, or areas, of the heart. Energy through the catheter disconnects the sources of the abnormal heart rhythm. It took about 4 hours for my procedure and I was awake, but not feeling anything – I was in Happy Land. My real worry was that my white hair would stand out in spikes with all that electricity.
I can’t tell you much about Phoebe’s treatment, that is her story, but I shudder to think of having a needle poked into my eyeball. I’ll take the ablation!
NOW HERE IS A LITTLE WISDOM FOR YOU
TAKE TIME
Take time to work – it is the price of success
Take time to think – it is the source of power
Take time to play – it is the secret of perpetual youth
Take time to read – it is the fountain of wisdom
Take time to be friendly – it is the road to happiness
Take time to dream – it is hitching your wagon to a star
Take time to love and be loved – it is the privilege of the gods
Take time to laugh – it is the music of the soul
- Irish Digest
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Never Again
by Phoebe Maurer
Being caught in a Long Island expressway traffic jam means being late to work, dinner is overcooked, and everyone is cranky. Having a snow and sleet storm descend without warning is a living nightmare. I had lunch in Manhattan with my husband when a few snow flakes floated down."Get the car and go home now." I listened and drove through the Lincoln tunnel expecting to arrive home in Great Neck ,Long Island within 30 to 40 minutes.Was I wrong!
This was no ordinary snowstorm.The road out of the tunnel metamorphed into a sheet of ice. Traffic plowed to a crawl, stopping and starting, sliding and skidding. The radio blared the terrifying news that a huge storm had blanketed New York and all points east, west, north, and south, crippling traffic and causing power outages. I switched stations, hoping to find soothing music. No luck. The speedometer was stuck at 5 miles an hour-or less. A bus was sliding treacherously close to me. Fear sent my heart racing. I took deep breaths, there were no cell phones to call Herb at home. The Long island commuter trains were running on time. The windows fogged and iced up. Thankfully the defoggers were working and warm. I held my breath as my car skidded close to a concrete barrier. The car in front started and stopped. It was nerve wracking. The clock on the dashboard said five-thirty. I was moving on glass for five hours and nowhere near my exit. I whistled, sang lustily, and glanced at expressions of close drivers faces to cheer me.
The gas gauge was less than a quarter of a tank, six-thirty and at last my exit. I slid onto the road leading home through more traffic jams and maneuvered up the steep hill to our home with difficulty. Foolishly I, a good citizen, stopped at a stop sign without another car on the road, one block from our driveway, and went into a long skid. I kept the steering wheel from hitting a huge tree. The yard had a glorious wonderland canopy of glistening white branches hanging low. Our house a glow of lights as Herb opened the garage door, his face a mask of worry. The embrace was what I needed to calm my nervous system. That plus a double scotch and soda.
Never again….I will take the train!
(a note from Lois to Phoebe….Maybe that is why you moved to Arizona!)
Being caught in a Long Island expressway traffic jam means being late to work, dinner is overcooked, and everyone is cranky. Having a snow and sleet storm descend without warning is a living nightmare. I had lunch in Manhattan with my husband when a few snow flakes floated down."Get the car and go home now." I listened and drove through the Lincoln tunnel expecting to arrive home in Great Neck ,Long Island within 30 to 40 minutes.Was I wrong!
This was no ordinary snowstorm.The road out of the tunnel metamorphed into a sheet of ice. Traffic plowed to a crawl, stopping and starting, sliding and skidding. The radio blared the terrifying news that a huge storm had blanketed New York and all points east, west, north, and south, crippling traffic and causing power outages. I switched stations, hoping to find soothing music. No luck. The speedometer was stuck at 5 miles an hour-or less. A bus was sliding treacherously close to me. Fear sent my heart racing. I took deep breaths, there were no cell phones to call Herb at home. The Long island commuter trains were running on time. The windows fogged and iced up. Thankfully the defoggers were working and warm. I held my breath as my car skidded close to a concrete barrier. The car in front started and stopped. It was nerve wracking. The clock on the dashboard said five-thirty. I was moving on glass for five hours and nowhere near my exit. I whistled, sang lustily, and glanced at expressions of close drivers faces to cheer me.
The gas gauge was less than a quarter of a tank, six-thirty and at last my exit. I slid onto the road leading home through more traffic jams and maneuvered up the steep hill to our home with difficulty. Foolishly I, a good citizen, stopped at a stop sign without another car on the road, one block from our driveway, and went into a long skid. I kept the steering wheel from hitting a huge tree. The yard had a glorious wonderland canopy of glistening white branches hanging low. Our house a glow of lights as Herb opened the garage door, his face a mask of worry. The embrace was what I needed to calm my nervous system. That plus a double scotch and soda.
Never again….I will take the train!
(a note from Lois to Phoebe….Maybe that is why you moved to Arizona!)
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